Celler Kripta
F.K.A. Agustí Torelló Mata
Penedès, Spain
Celler Kripta
It’s hard to overstate the impact of Celler Kripta (FKA Agusti Torello Mata) on the Cava world, and Spain’s enological history. Defined by both winemaking and evangelizing native Catalan grapes and sparkling wine, Mata’s legacy is profound.
At 13 years old, Mata left home to work with his uncle who was a winemaker. After formal enology studies, he dedicated his career to his native Catalonia and its Cava production. It was in the 1970s, after the formal establishment of the Cava denomination, when his prominence as both a winemaker and Cava evangelist took off. Mata held the office of Presidency of the Catalan Association of Winemakers for 12 years and founded the Cava Brotherhood in 1979. In 1984, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture awarded Torelló the first Gold Medal for merit in winemaking. Finally, in 1986, Mata founded his eponymous winery on the outskirts of Sant Sadurni where he and his children and grandchildren make wine to this day.
Over time, Mata helped define a more serious, cellar-worthy style of cava while adhering to organic viticultural practices. Notably his Kripta, first produced in 1978, is known for its striking amphora-shaped bottle which Mata designed to promote constant, circular movement of the lees. Always aged under natural cork for a minimum of seven years on lees, Kripta is a monumental wine which started to be found at the tables of die-hard Champagne lovers. (In May 1992, the mayor of Épernay invited him to preside over the prestigious Champagne trade fair).
When we fast forward to 2025, the 90-year-old Mata’s Sant Sadurni winery now goes by Celler Kripta, signaling a torch-pass to his children and grandchildren. This rebrand was followed soon after with a move to the Corpinnat designation, which focuses only on wines from the Penedes region, and has strict rules regarding farming and elevage.
Though the name “Mata” might not appear on the front label anymore, the new wines from Celler Kripta continue to be Spain’s sparkling wine paradigm.
Our Selections
Agusti Torello Mata XIC Xarel-lo 2025
In addition to bubbles, Agusti Torello Mata also makes a light and bright, 100% Xarel-lo from all organic, estate fruit. This playful wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged on the lees for six months before bottling. Light citrus and peach notes on the nose with a medium body and fresh, racy acidity. This is a wine that overdelivers for the price. Certified Organic. Only 11.5% alcohol. Cork closure.
Food pairing: Excellent as aperitif, by the glass, but also with seafood, fish and light dishes.
Celler Kripta FRANC Corpinnat Brut 2021
Vintage 2021 was marked by continuous autumn/winter rains and a summer with mild temperatures. For the Mata family, this meant solid yields and grapes with optimal ripeness and a good acid-sugar balance., giving complex wines with structure and body, while remaining fresh and fruity.
FRANC is a blend of 50% Macabeo, 20% Xarel·lo and 30% Parellada hand-harvested and fermented separately with indigenous yeasts. After primary fermentation the wines are blended, bottled and aged on the lees for 36 months before disgorgement. Balancing fresh green apple, peach, and nectarine, with a singular richness that can only come from extended lees aging, this “entry-level” cuvée is hard to top.
11.5% ABV, 5.8 g/L TA, 6.0 g/L dosage.
Agusti Torello Mata Trepat Cava de Guarda Superior Rosat Reserva 2022
2022 was a very dry year which was great for slow grape maturation and led to a higher concentration of aromas, sugars, and structure. Mata’s organic Trepat vines are planted at the Ubac vineyard in St Joan de Mediona, located 800m high with clay and slate soils.
The grapes came into the winery and were macerated on the skins for eight hours then pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts. After bottling, the wine aged on lees for 24 months. Brilliant pink/red in appearance with Trepat’s classic strawberry, ripe plum and raspberry aromas. Acid and bubbles are well-integrated and mouthfeel is both creamy and bright.
11.5% Alc., 5.3 g/L TA, 8.0 g/L dosage.
Celler Kripta ICONIC Corpinnat Brut Nature 2019
Stretching from August 29th to October 5th, the 2019 harvest was both abundant and extended compared to previous vintages. A vintage defined by elevated aromas and acidity, the wines are perfectly suited for extended aging in the Gran Reserva mode.
The wine is comprised of 35% Macabeo, 28% Xarel·lo and 37% Parellada from plots in Vall d’Anoia-Foix. The grapes are fermented separately with their own indigenous yeasts. After the month-long primary fermentation, the wines are blended, bottled, and aged on lees for six years. This is a textural wonder, balancing superb depth and richness with precision and freshness. This is the kind of experience that’s usually exclusive to non-dosage, recently disgorged champagnes. ICONIC delivers this with insane price-quality-ratio to boot.
11.5% ABV, 6.0 g/L TA, no dosage.
Celler Kripta “KRIPTA” Corpinnat Brut Nature 2017
The flagship, prestige cuvee from Celler Kripta, bottled in a distinct, amphora-shaped bottle. A blend of 45%, Macabeu, 35% Parellada, and 20% Xarel·lo from old vines. Each bottle is hand-riddled and disgorged and spends a staggering 96 months on the lees. The vines all hail from the Valls d’anova-Foix (Comtats de Barcelona).
1978 was the first vintage crated by Agusti Torello Mata. Kripta comes from three specific sites. The Macabeu, planted in 1962, comes from the Vicari vineyard in Sant Pau d’Ordal, a plot of gravel and limestone at 239m in elevation. The Xarel-lo, planted in 1974, comes from Mercader vineyard in St Sadurní d'Anoia, a classic clay-limestone vineyard at 162m in elevation. The Parellada, planted in 1969, comes from the La Lola plot in St. Joan de Mediona, a terrain of slate and siliceous sand at 650m in elevation. The vineyards are organic with no chemical pesticides or herbicides. Harvest is done manually.
Elevage: Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 16ºC. Each variety is vinified separately after the harvest. Clarification is done with bentonite. After blending, a second fermentation takes place in the bottle. As mentioned above, the wine is and aged on the lees for at least 96 months. The aging is done exclusively with natural, double disc cork stopper, sustainable material and necessary to preserve the original sense of long aging. The disgorgement is done manually, bottle by bottle, thus making an exhaustive control to ensure the highest possible quality. Each bottle has the precise date of disgorgement.
Description: Pale yellow with golden highlights. Fine and persistent bubbles, with slow evolution. The aroma features creamy notes, ripe fruit, vanilla and soft toasty nuances and a slight balsamic note. Fine and elegant on the palate with a soft, silky texture and a background of vanilla, ripe fruit, toast and truffle. Very long and complex finish.
11.5 % ABV, 6.2 g/L TA, no dosage
Agusti Torello Mata Cava “KRIPTA ANYADA” Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2008
KRIPTA ANYADA is only produced in excellent vintages and the 2008 is only the second time it has been released after spending 13 years on lees before disgorgement. Only 780 bottles produced.
KRIPTA always comes from the same three parcels of old vines. The Macabeu, planted in 1962, comes from the Vicari vineyard in Sant Pau d’Ordal, a plot of gravel and limestone at 239m in elevation. The Xarel-lo, planted in 1974, comes from Mercader vineyard in St Sadurní d'Anoia, a classic clay-limestone vineyard at 162m in elevation. The Parellada, planted in 1969, comes from the La Lola plot in St. Joan de Mediona, a terrain of slate and siliceous sand at 650m in elevation. The vineyards are organic with no chemical pesticides or herbicides. Harvest is done manually. 2008 was a very rainy year that provided all the elements for a wine with exceptional aging potential.
Elevage: Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 16ºC. Each variety is vinified separately after the harvest. Clarification is done with bentonite. After blending, a second fermentation takes place in the bottle. As mentioned above, the wine is and aged on the lees for at least 96 months. The aging is done exclusively with natural, double disc cork stopper, sustainable material and necessary to preserve the original sense of long aging. The disgorgement is done manually, bottle by bottle, thus making an exhaustive control to ensure the highest possible quality. Each bottle has the precise date of disgorgement.
Description: Pale yellow with golden highlights. Fine and persistent bubbles, with slow evolution. The aroma features creamy notes, ripe fruit, vanilla and soft toasty nuances and a slight balsamic note. Fine and elegant on the palate with a soft, silky texture and a background of vanilla, ripe fruit, toast and truffle. Very long and complex finish.