In 1979, Agustí Torelló Mata set out to do something different. He wasn't merely aiming to produce another cava, but to create a bottle that encapsulated everything he had learned after decades dedicated to wine. From this ambition was born Celler Kripta Gran Reserva, a cava that from the outset sought to break away from the conventional.
Even its bottle is a statement of intent. Inspired by ancient Roman amphorae, it was designed to protect a cava destined for long-term evolution and to become a recognisable object even before it is uncorked. Inside, the traditional blend of macabeo, xarel·lo, and parellada develops its full complexity after patient ageing.
The grapes for Celler Kripta Gran Reserva come from different plots in Penedès, including Viña El Vicari, Viña Mercader, and Viña Lola, whose vines are between 50 and 62 years old. Each variety finds a different soil here: gravel and limestone for the macabeo, slate for the parellada, and clay-limestone for the xarel·lo. This diversity of altitudes, orientations, and soils adds depth to the final blend.
The production of Celler Kripta Gran Reserva follows the traditional method, with a second fermentation in the bottle and especially long ageing. Celler Kripta Gran Reserva spends eight years in the dim light of the cellars, at a constant natural temperature of 17°C, sealed with a natural cork. It is in this silence that the bubbles integrate, the aromas gain complexity, and the wine acquires the depth that defines a great aged cava.
The result is a Brut Nature Gran Reserva with limited production, featuring numbered bottles and both organic and vegan certification. A cava designed to be savoured slowly, to discover its layers gradually and to see how far patience can take wine when put at its service.
Celler Kripta Gran Reserva was not created to resemble any other cava. Over forty years since its inception, it remains one of those bottles that justify why time can also be an ingredient.