Who makes it
Several winegrowing families involved in the early development of Cava in Requena came together to form Dominio de la Vega. The producer works with grapes from four named estates and gives preference to older vineyards when interpreting its sites.
Its bottles divide between sparkling wines under DO Cava and still wines under DO Utiel-Requena. Reserva Especial is the named Cava cuvée, while the vineyard holdings include Pinot Noir, Bobal and Chardonnay planted in very different parcels.
Where it grows
Dominio de la Vega is based in San Antonio de Requena, Valencia, within the DO Utiel-Requena. The winery lies 70 kilometres west of Valencia, inland from the Mediterranean Sea.
The appellation split is printed in the wine categories. DO Cava covers the sparkling wines, while DO Utiel-Requena covers the still wines. One winery therefore works under two designations, each tied to a different style of wine.
How it is made
The cellar
The grapes come from La Vega, El Pinarejo, La Muela and Losilla, allowing the cellar to work with vineyards that differ in variety, soil, altitude and vine age. The producer's preference for older vineyards keeps those differences visible in the fruit entering the winery.
The historic cellar occupies the restored Casa del Conde, a late nineteenth century house winery in San Antonio de Requena. Modern technology operates alongside the original presses and underground tanks, where Cava bottles undergo long ageing.
What they make
The range divides into sparkling Reserva Cavas and still wines. The sparkling wines carry DO Cava, while the still wines carry DO Utiel-Requena. Reserva Cavas mature for more than 18 months on their lees, the fine yeast sediment left after fermentation that can add creaminess and pastry notes to sparkling wine.
Brut Reserva Especial is the named sparkling cuvée. The still wine range draws on the regional vineyards, including sites planted with Bobal, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Wines to try
First bottle
The 2019 Brut Reserva Especial is the bottle to open first. It is a sparkling wine under DO Cava, with a vintage, a cuvée name and the Brut designation on the label.