Wine tasting: Pares Balta from northeast Spain

The Penedes region in northeast Spain is most famous for cava, the sparkling wine which accounts for 95 per cent of the country's sparkling wine production. Penedes' dry red and white wines are relatively unknown outside the region. It's time for consumers to try these wines, which are improving in quality and offer value for money. According to Maxime Bazart, export manager for Pares Balta, the region is going through a transition. In the 19th century, phylloxera, the root destroying aphid, wiped out most of the vineyards. They were replanted with white grape varieties. The next century saw increasing experimentation with the planting of international varieties such as cabernet sauvignon, syrah and chardonnay. Now, the new generation of wine producers are rediscovering the past and Bazart says they are "recovering the identify of the place". Indigenous varieties such as xarello and garnacha are increasingly being planted. Pares Balta represents the new generation of producers, although the family-owned winery dates back to 1790. The vineyards are spread over five estates, and are located in valleys and mountains from 170 metres to 800 metres above sea level. This allows for a diverse range of wine styles due to the mixture of different soils and micro-climates. The winery's goal is to make wines which have "great character and concentration, but at the same time show elegance and balance".

Pares Balta Hisenda Miret 2010