2016 was the first of the very dry years. They got 200 liters during the year (they can receive 300 liters and have a good result with the dry-farmed vineyards), so the 2016 Terroja was ripe and seems to be evolving a little faster, more Mediterranean with notes of fennel and licorice, developing some orange peel notes. He picked early to keep the vibrancy, managing a pH of 3.1. This is their oldest vineyard, planted 136 years ago, and they have 60% of the original vines (the rest are replanted and not used for this wine). It has the final salty twist; the wine has not seen oak, but there is a smoky twist from the lees and the soils. 2,400 bottles produced.

The austere, clean and transparent Xarello 2011 Terroja comes from a plot of ancient vines on red soils, which is what the name means in Catalan. There is a very high content of limestone, and the wine is very mineral and might have a smoky note (from the lees?) but has never touched any oak. It has now matured for 84 months in bottle, and the wine is still fresh and seems to evolve at a very slow pace. They only have magnums left, but they released bottles back in 2016.

I tasted the 2010 Terroja in magnum, which showed very fresh and harmonious, still young and lively, and it's impossible to guess its age in the large bottle where the wine develops slowly. 2010 was a cooler year with good rain (between 500 and 600 liters, compared with the 200 liters from the 2016 I tasted next to it), and the wine has finesse, nuance and balance. It has notes of white flowers and fruit, with hints of fennel and aniseed that give freshness. This is very dry and has 12.8% alcohol, a pH of 3.09 and 6.12 grams of acidity. This is serious, dry and with a chalky mouthfeel. It reflects the reductive way of working with no sulfites until bottling. The magnums can go on for a few more years. This was worked organically, but the wines were not certified until 2015. Only 222 magnums produced. The price is for a magnum that is kept for longer and released later.

The unoaked 2007 Terroja is 100% Xarel-lo sourced from a single 95-year-old vineyard. It was naturally fermented and aged in stainless steel for 6 months on its lees. It surrenders a captivating nose of mineral, baking spices, nutmeg, marzipan, and poached pear. Round, ripe, and concentrated on the palate, this lengthy offering will provide pleasure over the next 4-5 years. Castellroig’s still wines are nearly as impressive as their Cavas, particularly the white offerings. Importer: C & P Wines, New York, NY; tel. (917) 846-1708