We left Barcelona early for a drive to the Penedes region to visit a couple of wineries. It was a beautiful morning and the weather would remain so until late that afternoon on our return trip to Barcelona. Just a perfect day to visit wineries.
Our first stop was the Jean Leon winery. Jean León was a fascinating individual, a true rags-to-riches story. He was born in Santander, Spain in 1928. When he was 19 years old, he left Spain and eventually ended up in Hollywood. Though his own acting career never went anywhere, he still made his mark. Jean Leon waited tables and met many famous actors. He made friends with James Dean and they partnered together to open the restaurant "La Scala." Dean's unfortunate death left Leon as the sole owner of La Scala. La Scala became a well respected restaurant, patronized by many actors and actresses.
Jean Leon was not satisfied though and eventually decided, around 1963, to embark on a new endeavor, to own a winery and create his own special wines. He eventually chose a vineyard in Penedes.
The vineyard consists of about 150 hectares though only about 100 are arable. Leon did not choose indigenous Spanish varietals though. Instead, he planted varietals, obtained from France, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay. The estate is divided into several sections, Pagos, and a single wine is produced in each section. 
The winery combines tradition with modern winemaking techniques. It was one of the first Spanish wineries to ferment white wines in oak casks. This is a more difficult procedure as you have much less control over the fermentation process.
Though Jean Leon is now owned by Miguel Torres, one of the conditions of the sale was that the winery would retain much of its independence. It would be essentially run as it always has been, making the same wines in the same manner. So, the wines have remained high quality, low production wines.
In our private tour of the winery, we learned much about the life of Jean Leon. We also got to see the fermentation area and the cellars with their myriad barrels. It was an interesting tour and very informative.
Our wine tasting was on an outside patio area, just perfect for the beautiful day.
We began with a 2006 Terrasola Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is made of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% other varietals, the exact varietals which change every year. This is an inexpensive wine. I am not a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc but I did enjoy this one. It had a golden color and much citrus on the palate. It did not have any grassy flavor. It was crisp and light. A good summer wine.
The next wine was the 2003 Vinya Gigi Chardonnay. The label of this wine, which is used on several of their wines, brings to mind the Lafite-Rothschild wine label. This wine is fermented in oak, as well as aged in oak. I was a bit hesitant with this wine due to all that oak as I don't like overly-oaked Chardonnays. Yet my fears were unfounded. This wine was a brighter gold color than the previous wine. On the palate, it was creamy and smooth with tastes of apple and a bit of floral note. The oak did not overpower the wine at all. This was one of the better Chardonnays I have had. An excellent example of this varietal. I definitely recommend this wine.
We then moved onto the 2004 Jean Leon Merlot. This is 100% Merlot and had a light red color. It has rich cherry flavors on the palate with some mild spices on the finish. Its tannins are mild and it is a smooth drinking wine. It has character and is not a one-dimensional wine.
The next wine was the 2001 Jean Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva. This wine is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc. It has a dark red color with a bot of translucence. On the palate, there are flavors of blackberries, black cherry and plums. There are also spicy notes, including vanilla and licorice. It has a long, lingering finish and is well balanced. The tannins do not overpower the wine. An excellent example of a well-made Cabernet.
The final wine was the 1999 Jean Leon Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva. This is a limited production wine and even has a special label, designed by a local Catalan artist. This wine was even darker in color than the Reserva. It was also more intense and spicier. Its additional time in oak obviously enhanced its spiciness. The fruit flavors are more intense as well. The tannins are moderate. This is definitely a complex, well-balanced wine, and should age well. I think it was an exceptional Cabernet and would highly recommend it.
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