Discovering Hidden Treasures in the Lower Empordà

I think most wine lovers would agree that there’s something extra special, even magical, about tasting wine while standing on the very soil where that wine was produced. Another thing we probably agree on is that there never seems to be enough time to visit all the regions and vineyards on our wish lists. Even if you’re among the privileged few who happen to live near some of the world’s greatest wine regions, unless you’re extremely organized and diligent, chances are you won’t get them all! That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try though...  

Take me, for example. After spending a year in Tarragona studying wine in 2016 and 2017, my winery visits covered only about half of the twelve Catalan D.O.s, denominations of origin or appellations. One of the regions high on my list of places to get to know (and taste!) during my most recent visit to Catalunya was the Empordà, a gorgeous landscape of mountains and sea along the Mediterranean Costa Brava bordered by France to the north. There are so many hidden gems to be discovered here it’s hard to know where to begin! Luckily, I had an inside track on recommendations of what to taste and where to visit from local power couple Clara Antúnez and Jaume Montanyà of La Gastronòmica. 

And thanks to them and the very detailed driving directions of our host, Paco Balsera, (this isn’t the easiest place to find), we pulled up to the vineyards of Clos d’Agon in Calonge on a brisk Monday morning in late January. The winery and its 16 hectares of vines are nestled in a natural amphitheater in the lower Empordà formed by the coastal mountain range of Les Gavarres that overlooks the Mediterranean just a few kilometers away. 

It was one of those days where one minute it’s sunny, the next it’s cloudy and windy and then all of a sudden it starts raining. It was quite a spectacle of nature that made our visit all the more memorable. More memorable than the weather, however, was the VIP treatment we received from our hosts, winemaker Paco Balsera, and chief winemaker and technical director Miguel Coronado, who shared their time, knowledge, passion and wines with us with the warmth and generosity you would expect from friends who invite you into their home.

One of the things to know about Empordà wines is that the region is divided into the lower, or baix, Empordà and upper, or alt, Empordà – two distinctively different areas in terms of climate, soil types and elevation. And like other Mediterranean wine regions with a comparable number of hectares planted to wine grapes, the Empordà has several distinct microclimates, which translates to ideal growing conditions for a broad range of grape varieties. Perhaps most widely known for Garnatxa/Grenache (black, white and the less common pinkish-gray variety), or as it’s called here, Lledoner (negre, blanc and roig), there are many other surprises to be found. The Empordà also has a long history of cultivating traditional Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and, not surprisingly considering their similar climates, traditional red and white Rhône varieties as well.

Needless to say, I was thrilled to find all this diversity of wine styles not just in one territory, but in the wines produced by Clos d’Agon. From the bright, fresh Rosé made of 100% Garnatxa Negre, to the incredibly aromatic and creamy Clos d’Agon Blanc blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne to the rich, ripe Clos d’Agon Negre blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc with its distinctively Mediterranean character, the wines we tasted were a feast for the senses.

The highlights of my visit to this little slice of lower Empordà heaven were the sincere passion of our hosts for the work that they do every day, Clos d’Agon’s philosophy that great wines begin in the vineyard (the care for the vines is unmistakably reflected in the quality of the wines), the state of the art facilities and equipment and the natural beauty of the land itself. A truly remarkable experience that I highly recommend to anyone visiting or living in or near the lower Empordà.

By Carla Gordillo @polyglotsomm