In a porrón or in a glass, wine is an element that cannot be missing in a good calçotada. The Valls sommelier Jordi Solé, whose family has excelled in serving large and famous calçotades, proposes, as the best harmony with this gastronomic festival, very typical of the regions of Tarragona and Penedès, young and fresh Brut cavas or somewhat rustic sumoll reds served all them in porrón, which he believes is “the key” to the calçotada.
The Castilian proverb already remembers that “wine in a jug tastes much better”, although it also states that “good wine is served in fine glass; the fighter, in a jug or in a jug.” Jordi Solé believes that the carbon content of a young cava helps cleanse the palate and refresh.
Far from dogmatism and with the desire to avoid closed pairings, the coordinator of the Catalan Association of Sommeliers (AVC) in Tarragona, Joan Carrión, believes that until a few years ago “it seemed strange or daring to opt for a single-thematic pairing option with calçotada. that it was not a young red wine.” He understands that it is “a recommendation, among others that can be recommended, that perhaps could be good for one of the calçotada dishes such as grilled meat, but that I would hardly recommend to enhance the great qualities of a vegetable such as calçot.”
In this specific case Joan Carrión opts for a white Grenache from Tarragona or a Macabeo aged from the DO Tarragona, also ideal to accompany the romesco sauce. And he also recommends other options such as a red wine (a red Grenache or a Tempranillo with a touch of aging) to accompany the meat.
Previously, he proposed a white with calçot, but he also ventured, for example, with some sparkling rosé. Having arrived at this point, he assures that “the calçot with a rosé of Trepat from the Conca de Barberà is spectacular”. And to close this festival of flavors, the coordinator of the AVC in the province of Tarragona is inclined to choose a sweet place to accompany the desserts.
The pairing options are multiple. It does seem to be commonly accepted that the best wines for a calçotada are those from the Catalan areas where these group gastronomic gatherings where family and friends gather are most celebrated. At the Mas Vicenç winery in Cabra del Camp they have asked themselves what wine does calçotada pair best with? And they have come to the conclusion that “we do not have a single answer.”
Cellers Unió point out that “normally the calçotada does not just consist of eating calçots, but other things are savored”. This clearly allows you to play with different wine options. Cellers Unió asks: “Which type of wine pairs best with a calçotada: a young red or a aged one?” Why, indisputably, should the wine that goes with a calçotada be a red wine… or not? Couldn’t it be a blank? Or a rosé? Or a cava?”
The president of the DO Tarragona, Maria Rosa Blanch, sees the native reds of her area as especially appropriate, varieties such as tempranillo (ull de llebre) or sumoll, to pair with the meats and sauce that accompany a calçotada. But for the end of the agape he also opts for a sparkling wine made following traditional or ancestral methods, and even for a liqueur wine from the DO Tarragona.
The president of the DO Conca de Barberà, Ricard Sebastià Foraster, opts for a brisado blanco with tannicity, a young red with an emphasis on fruit or a DO Cava rosado Brut made with trepat from the Conca de Barberà. Joan Huguet, the president of the DO Penedès, prefers to accompany the calçotada with a sumoll rosé, a wood-aged xarel·lo or a sparkling Penedès Clàssic (in a barrel if it’s young and in a glass if it’s aged).
Young natural sparkling wine made using the ancestral method with the Trepat variety by the Eduard Sanromà winery, in Vila-rodona. Its author says that it is the fruit of daring and rebellion. In fact, it is marketed without the protection of any designation of origin. Its grapes are born in vineyards planted in 2011 in the municipality of Montferri, cultivated organically. And with manual harvest. Intense red in color and with a lively carbonation. It is expressed with notes of red fruits and flowers, grapefruit and a certain tannin. It is dry and mineral. With only 10º alcohol. It is a bubbly pure fermented grape juice (with indigenous yeasts and no added sulfur). 17.50 euros
Interesting white from the DO Conca de Barberà made by this winery in l’Espluga de Francolí with the Garnacha Blanca (66%) and Trepat varieties. It is a white with lees work and good acidity. It stands out for its freshness and notes reminiscent of white and stone fruit, with a touch of aromatic Mediterranean garrigue herbs. The work done in wood (French oak and acacia) is very well integrated into the wine. It was fermented and aged for eight months in barrels. In this winery’s restaurant, Forevents, they offer calçotades from Tuesday to Sunday. 17.30 euros
Trepat from the DO Conca de Barberà with a low layer and ruby ??color. This wine from Marta Pedra shows very ripe fruit and is spicy. It exhibits good balance, an interesting sensation of acidity and, above all, youth. The wood is very subtle, almost negligible (they partially use used third-year barrels, for two months). It stands out for its freshness. It is pleasant and very easy to drink. A round young red wine from Montblanc with only 12º alcohol. In this Montblanc winery they do not offer calçotades but they do offer them in La vinyeta, the wine project that Marta Pedra shares with her partner Josep Serra in the DO Empordà. 15.50 euros
Singular organic syrah from the DO Tarragona. Its grapes are born in a vineyard in Montferri and are harvested manually. Janina Saumell Serra, second generation of this family winery, affirms that this wine born with the 2009 harvest, which is not made in every vintage (only in those in which it reaches a special quality) is the result of the determination of the winemaker Pepa Menchón, who fell in love with his vineyard. It has a medium layer and is ruby ??in color, with violet tones. This wine from the Rodonyà winery has been aged for three months in 300-liter French oak barrels, from one to third years. The wood is just a subtle brush stroke. It is expressed with notes reminiscent of acidic red and black forest fruit (such as blackberries or blueberries), licorice and florals (violets). Its minerality is interesting, the result of its clay-calcareous soils. It also stands out for its freshness and for leaving a somewhat minty sensation. At Vinya Janine’s rural accommodation, Rural Jordà, they offer their guests calçotades paired with their wines. 7.80 euros
Fine and elegant red Grenache protected by the Penedès DO from a vineyard in Sant Martí Sarroca. From this winery in Pacs del Penedès they assure that this microcuvée is the result of a Grenache that is “almost extinct in the Penedès”, harvested by hand and the result of certified organic and biodynamic agriculture. Ruby in color and medium-low layer. It is a somewhat sweet wine that shows a profusion of notes reminiscent of fruits (strawberries and ripe watermelon) and red flowers (like fragrant rose petals) with a spicy and mineral touch. At the same time, it passes on the palate with a velvety tactile sensation and a tannic touch. With a good sensation of acidity. Very well the integration of aging in new and second-year French oak barrels for five months. From this family winery they claim that it is “the perfect wine to drink and enjoy on those evenings when everything must be perfect.” 27 euros
