News: Corpinnat, heatin' up
Year 16, No. 08
Highlights: Corpinnat 2026
As summer appears to be kicking in—leaving me to wonder if my beach umbrella from Amazon will ever arrive—I’m left with fewer doubts about what to drink as bubbles: chilled, fresh, and fine are always on the menu.
This is why it’s a great moment of the year to have released the annual Corpinnat Report. There seems to be little stopping the energy and forward momentum of this association as they continue to pick up more members including former DO Cava heavy, Juvé & Camps.
And the wines continue to excel from all wineries. I assume this is helped by being free of the budget bubbly shackles within Cava as well as having an active group of viticulturists (not bottle wine resellers) to consult with. I’ve no idea where this project will ultimately go, but for the moment, everything is very much in the direction of up.
There are of course some who won’t be able to join and sadly, they will have to remain as the un-Cava Cava people, unless of course they decide to go solo, which is always an option and one that’s worked well for some very serious sparkling producers in the region.
Within the world of wine, we recently-passed something of an important date, or at least what used to be an important date given that nearly all the people directly-involved are now dead. I’m not talking about the end of WWII but of course the Judgment of Paris which saw it's 50th anniversary at the end of May, although on some level, it feels more like the 5,000th anniversary given how often tastings with this theme reappear, year upon year. Will the 60th or 75th or even 100th be big affairs? If any of us are lucky enough to be around for these, do let us know!
And lastly some longer deep-dives looking at meeting the real Isabel Ferrando in Châteauneuf-du-Pape during the research for that report and also tasting a fine wine of straw from Ferrer Bobet for the upcoming DOQ Priorat report.
It’s also important to mention a bit of housecleaning as the eagle-eyed might have noted that, in addition to more regular articles here on ‘The Hudin Letter’, the URL has also changed to be shorter at: letter.hudin.com. They’re small items but all part of a larger plan to simplify publishing as well as make all the segments of the ‘Hudiverse’ more connected. We’ll have more to say about this in due course.
Drink well, be well.
-Miquel
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Corpinnat Report
We’re almost to the point of these sparkling wines needing no introduction as the momentum is all on their side with producers continuing to make the best bubbles in Iberia. This is the largest tasting to date with a wonderful selection of wines at all levels.
And now this
There are some markets (like the US) that have been going bonkers for the white Sauvignon Blanc wines of Sancerre. But it’s important to know that this appellation does also produce a decent amount of red, such as this Pinot Noir.
It’s always good to check in on Ribera del Duero in Spain to find new projects such as this from Alba en Ribera.
Who wouldn’t want a bit of Albariño this time of year? And to think, wines such as this from Attis didn’t really even exist just a few years ago.