The 2015 Finca la Garriga Blanco, cropped from a low yielding vintage, is an unusual blend of 70% Chardonnay and 30% of the rare Cari?ena Blanca, fermented and matured in new acacia wood barrels for six months. the nose is a mix of banana aromas with wood. The palate also feels quite woody with good acidity and a bittersweet finish. 3,100 bottles produced.

I only tasted one white, the 2013 Finca la Garriga Blanco, an unusual blend of 55% Chardonnay, 30% Cari?ena Blanca and 15% Sauvignon Blanc that fermented and matured in new acacia wood barrels for nine months. The wood is definitely different, sweeter if that makes sense, with something balsamic notes and the fruit is yellow pit fruit, ripe but without excess. The palate reveals subtle flavors of aniseed, a lactic touch and moderate wood-derived flavors. It is better than what I remember from the 2012. Perhaps the freshness and higher acidity of the vintage helps to take the wood better, as the barrels seem to be replaced every year (why?). 3,500 bottles were produced.

The 2012 Finca La Garriga Blanco is a well-oaked blend of 50% Chardonnay, 40% Carinena Blanca (a white mutation of the red Carinena) and 10% Sauvignon Blanc aged for eight months in new acacia wood barrels. It has pungent aromas of smoke, sawdust and aniseed, with some lactic notes and echoes of white fruits and faint flowers. The palate is unfortunately dominated by wood-related flavors, a shame, because the fruit seems to be of very good quality. It might come into better balance with some time in bottle. Drink 2015-2019. Castillo Perelada has been for many years the leading winery in Emporda, as it was created back in 1923. The winery produces a wide range of still and sparkling wines. They work 126 hectares of vineyards and produce an average of 1.5 million bottles per year. The wines have a commercial profile and tend to be quite marked by the oak aging, but some, like the 2011 Ex Ex 10, can be truly exceptional. Importer: Perelada Comercial MHW, Ltd., Manhasset, NY; tel. (516) 869-9170

The 2011 Finca La Garriga Blanco is a blend of 40% Carinena Blanca (80-year-old vines), 40% Chardonnay and 20% Sauvignon Blanc barrel-fermented and aged for six months in acacia barrels. It has a highly perfumed bouquet with scents of peach, orange sorbet and a touch of lavender that is very well-defined. The aromatics imply that the palate will be very phenolic, but on the contrary, it is neutral in style with subtle white peach and nectarine, underpinned by crisp acidity and a crisp, neutral finish. This is a beautifully made, succinct white wine. Drink now-2015+. My first visit to Emporda was to Castillo Perelada, one of the driving forces behind the resurgence of viticulture in this region, where I undertook a comprehensive tasting of both present and past releases. Wine has been made at the Castillo since medieval times. Then in 1923, wealthy businessman Miguel Mateu bought the estate and he sought to revive winemaking tradition both here and in Emporda itself. I tasted the wines with his grandson Javier Suque. He explained how they are using satellite technology to map the vineyard, to such an extent that it made Bordeaux seem Luddite in comparison. It was an interesting set of wines with notable successes and others that missed the mark, and it was also fascinating to taste a vertical of the “Ex Ex” series of experimental wines that customers can subscribe to. The concept here is not to create the ultimate wine each year, but to try new things, toy with varieties and picking dates, to learn from experience. As you can see, the results I found were hit and miss, but I applaud someone who tries out new things and those that do subscribe are in for a ride. Following this, I was afforded an illuminating vertical of previous vintages, some of which have been rated by The Wine Advocate in previous issues. This vertical led me to one simple conclusion: Finca Garbet works best as a pure Syrah, as was the case in 2005 and 2007. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon seems to knock it off balance and is distracting. I also tasted through a vertical of Castillo Perlada’s experimental “Ex Ex” series. The first two Ex Ex wines were sourced from the “Malaveina” vineyard. Importer: Perelada Comercial, NY; www.perladacomercial.com

The 2007 La Garriga Blanco is made from Carinena and aged for 12 months in American oak. Light gold-colored, it has a chalky/mineral bouquet, a Chablis-like crisp presence on the palate, and some elegance. It could use a bit more complexity. Drink this tasty wine over the next three years. Importer: Bacchus Importers, Dundalk, MD; tel. (410) 302-7501