97 point

The 1996 Segona Plenitud 20 Años De Crianzae is another unique and limited sparkling Cava from Recaredo. It's a blend of 80% Xarello and 20% Chardonnay that they produced for the change of the millennium and their 75th anniversary. The Xarello was aged in barrique for ten months, and the Chardonnay fermented and was kept in stainless steel. It has a very smoky nose, with plenty of yeasts, bread dough and toast, combining the notes from the barrel and the long aging in bottle in contact with the lees. It has lots of complexity of aromas and flavors, with a touch of mushroom that made me think of a Roquefort cheese. It's very tasty, different, with great complexity and youth. The bubbles are so integrated that they make it nicely textured. It's a white wine with just a spark. It's a game of acidity and bitterness, as they never play with sweetness, and it's what makes their Cavas unique. This is really complex and unique, even within their wines. The complexity and freshness make it really one of the best sparkling wines I have tasted from Spain. It was disgorged in February 2018, 240 months after it was put in bottle. They plan to release some 200 bottles as an oenothèque. 2018 - 2026