Back To The Origin

Mas del Serral de Pepe Raventós
Ancestral
Viñya del Mas 2018
100% Xarel·lo
Natural sparkling wine
No. Bottles 1863
No disgorging, no dosage, brut nature, organic/biodynamic, vineyard work all by hand or horse
Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain

Hazy yellow gold with a little sheen of green (kind of IPAish) with fine bubbles & deepens over time from the bottom up. Sniffing and it’s creamy at first like an Oreo center and later turns into a tiny drizzle of honey on top of sourdough, lovely pears (reminds me a bit of Poire Williams), white peaches, apple pie, and a light citrus blend (like Valencia oranges smooth & Mandarin). Tasting all of the scents are there…especially the pears with a twist of lemon & lime tingle/sizzle on my lips and tongue, there’s even a little Key lime pie, pinch of salt & mineral lick, and smidge of hay that fades fast. Very bright and full of life.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: just don’t

When you see Pepe’s last name you know he comes from a long line of winegrowers and the prestigious winery Raventós I Blanc (documented since 1497 & one of the oldest wine producers in the world). His grandfather Josep Maria championed the creation of DO Cava and passed the torch to Pepe’s father Manuel who was joined by Pepe who like his grandfather had a dream and withdrew from the DO Cava in favor of a being recognized for their Conca del Riu Anoia that would rise to a higher standard. To be included there would be a higher min. paid to growers, vineyards must be at least 10 yrs old, native & organic, smaller yields, and a longer time on the lees (18 month min). Pepe’s project Mas del Serral is a plot within the Raventós vineyard (Clos del Serral) where they return to the ancestral farming traditions. It brings together humans, vines, and animals living & working together in harmony to tell the story of their and their land’s origin. As he is quoted, “What I love is to taste a wine and that it takes us to the place where it was made”. ❤️🥂

#wine #vin #vino #vinho #wein #葡萄酒 #ワイン #winestagram #instawine #cava #sparklingwine #winelover #winetasting #winetime #organic #naturalwine #biodynamic #Spain #raventos #masdeserral #vinewine #vinewinenyc

Oh Those Dancing Bubbles

Bujonis
(produced and bottled by Bodegas Sumarroca)
Cava Brut
Parellada 41%. Xarel·lo 27%, Macaque 23%, Chardonnay 9%
Sustainable, estate bottled, family run
Subirats, Alt Penedès, Catalonia, Spain

Cool straw with bouncing bubbles. Smells crisp all around of apple, pineapple (smidge), and citrus blend, with wet granite, and a tiny crumb of buttery brioche. First sip and it is so ALIVE! Again crisp, green and red delicious apples that wake up your cheeks, a squeeze of lemon and zest, and a lick of mineral rocky seltzer. Just so bright and refreshing.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: pretty good. Kind of like how cheddar and apples meld

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is to kick back with a glass of cava. In fact, it’s a ritual of mine in the evening. There’s just something about all those dancing bubbles of a good crisp pour that takes my mind well…on vacation. It gives me that same feeling as the first day we’ve set down in Spain and are about to start a new adventure. It’s the simple things that sometimes awaken the best memories. ✈️🥂❤️

#wine #vin #vino #葡萄酒 #ワイン #Cava #sparklingwine #brut #winestagram #vinblanc #instawine #winemaking #worldbyglass #cheezit #pairswithcheezits #AltPenedes #Penedes #catalunya #catalonia #Spain #bujonis @bsumarroca @vinoslibres @docwineshop @docwinebar @cheezit

Tiny Bubbles

Recaredo
Terres Brut Nature 2014
Corpinnat
Sant Sadurni D’Anola
Xarel·lo 56%, Macabeu 42%, Parellada 2%
Sant Sadurni D’Anoia, Penedès, Spain
Sustainable farming, biodynamic, hand-picked, Indigenous grapes and yeasts

Gold and glistening with tiny bubbles. Now this is quite a mix in my nose…lemon, lime, peaches, apples, all spice, basil, and brown sugar/caramel. Fragrant surprise! Now sipping and a little swish and again lemon-lime mix, apples, strawberries, cardamon, toasty pastry and toasted rice (you know like the type sizzling in the bottom of your clay bowl of bibimbap). It’s not a pie, but it makes me just as happy!

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: just tastes good with it. No complaints. Any bar that has this by the glass should set these out and they’ll drink more

“We learn from time…we build on a history”, greets you at Recaredo’s site, and they definitely are following through on this quote. It all started back in 1924, when Josep Mata Capellades started in the working world of sparkling and undertaking making his own cellar in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (Barcelona). 1944 rolls around, and now he’s named his winery after his father, Recaredo Mata Figueres. As time flies, his sons come on board and this family winery is becoming distinct for their long aging, their terroir focused sparkling, and sticking with natural cork stoppers. By the 90s it was the third generation and 2006, they embrace going biodynamic. 2017, brings about a reward for all the years of hard work being named, Catalonia’s Best Winery by the ACS. And now we get to my favorite part, 2018 is when they joined Corpinnat. To take this on you must be 100% sustainable, hand harvested grapes that are mainly indigenous from Penedès, and made all at the winery with a longer aging time of at least 18 months in the bottle and more. Heck, this bottle aged 49 months. It’s a step above, a bit strict but proves their dedication to their grapes, method and the Penedès region, and it really pays off with this bottle.

@docwineshop @docwinebarny @recaredo1924 #rosenthalwinemerchant @cheezits #pairswithcheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #cava #Corpinnat #sustainable #biodynamic #organic @worldbyglass #needmorewine #winestagram #instawine #SantSadurniDAnoia #Spain #Xarel·lo #Macabeu #Parellada #xarello #Barcelona

Hop On and Take a Virtual Trip

Alta Alella
Mirgin
Reserva Brut Nature
Cava 2017
Pansa Blanca (Xarel.lo) 40%, Parellada 30%, Macabeu 30%
Tiana, Spain (closest winery to Barcelona)
Sustainable and organic
Winemaking family: Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests and his wife Cristina Guillen

Glistening pale yellow with really active bubbles. It’s like a graceful eruption. At first lemon, lime and lime zest waft out. Next comes faint vanilla with shortbread. Take a sip and there’s citrus with the lemon and lime again. Then green apples, pears, and some toasty almond that is making me crave a savory croissant. It’s fresh, crisp, light and delightful.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: emboldens the body

This delicate sparkler transports me back to Barcelona, and it would go really well with salty tapas. Would love with some boquerones, a fat blood sausage, or a tower of shellfish of all types. Oh that would be divine! Through this whole year, I have had so little seafood since I’m eating mostly at home. Do you know how bleeping hard it is to eat with two cats staring at you, and just imagine if I brought home a lobster or some shrimps. Olive would probably be sitting on top of my head.

As I mentioned on a previous post on Alta Alella’s Rosé Cava, their family run winery is located not far from Barcelona in the Parc Serralada de Marina. This area provides the Sauló soil that enhances their grapes. Normally they also have wine tourism and you can drink in the beauty of the lands and their wines and cavas, but as we all know, things are a bit different right now. They do offer a virtual visit though, and you get an online visit to the winery, 4 bottles of their wine/cavas and a guided tasting. Check out their site for more details. Hey, we may be stuck at home, but we can still travel the world by glass.

@vinewinenyc @AltaAlella @avantgardews @cheezits #cheezit #wine #sparklingwine #Cava #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #PansaBlanca #Xarello #Parellada #Macabeu #Tiana #Spain #Barcelona

A Celebration in a Glass

Alta Alella
Mirgin
Reserva Brut Nature
Rosé Cava 2017
100% Mataró (Monastrell)
Tiana, Spain (closest winery to Barcelona)
Sustainable and organic
Winemaking family: Josep Maria Pujol-Baquests and his wife Cristina Guillen

Pinky rosy salmon with teeny tiny bubbles. Lovely light floral and strawberries hitting my nose. Now for the taste and it’s strawberries, raspberries, a little grape and cherry  but foremost not very sweet, yet crisp and dry. It’s a celebration in a glass.

Pairs with Cheez-It’s: doesn’t really do much but bring out the berry a little more

Such a beautiful bubbly glass and a kind, wonderful gift from a friend. This cava born from the Parc Serralada de Marina is true to its organic roots, and only a short clip from Barcelona. I have no idea why I have been remiss from visiting this family run winery in my many trips, and am looking to a future where I can. I’ve had their Bruant (named for a bird in the park) in the past and am just as impressed with the rosé. Love their respect and celebration of the birds in their area which are the monicker for a select few of their bottles. Would love to be in a winery that you could wake up in the morning to these birdsongs and the lush environment that I’m always going on about, but I was raised this way. Respect nature and it will respect you back and give you a gift like this cava.

@vinewinenyc @AltaAlella @avantgardews @cheezits #cheezit #wine #redwine #organic #biodynamic @worldbyglass #worldbyglass #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits #Rosé #rose #Cava #Mataró #Monastrell #Tiana #Spain #barcelona

Now This Is What I Call A 6 Pack

Now This Is What I Call A 6 Pack
Flama Roja
Cava Brut Nature
Macabeo and Parellada

Hold it up to the light and it’s light straw with tiny little bubbles. This is my “go to easy drinker” any time of year. It pairs well with everything, but especially brightening up your evening after a rough day. It’s light and crisp, golden delicious apple with a tang of lemon. Takes my brain back to happier memories of sitting outside in Barcelona, eavesdropping on conversations, and watching parrots sail overhead.

#wine #worldbyglass #pandemic #covid19 #spain #cava #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits @vinewinenyc #cheezit @worldbyglass #workingfromhome #penedes #barcelona #Macabeo #Parellada #Tarragona @castelldorcava_vi #joanrabada

 

Oh Cava, How I Love Thee

 

Bertha Cava Brut Nature Reserva
Grapes: Macabeo, Xarel·lo & Parellada

Color: light golden rays of sunshine

Nose: light and sparkly. Hints of apple and pear but not something whacking you in the head. It and the light floral are just lovely, springy. Some slate/mineral/salt delicate

Taste: Apple tartness, toasty, honeysuckle, clean, fresh, mineral, and beautiful tingly bubbles

I’m a huge cava fan. Every glass takes me back to Barcelona/Spain. I know a lot of people think of it as a touristy place, but heck I live in Brooklyn/NYC. In each big city, there are neighborhoods of lovely people. Just take the time to meet them, share stories with them, you never know you might make a friend. I love all the wonderful people I have met over the years in BCN, all the creative and homey restaurants and bars, and all of the amazing wines I’ve been introduced to…Barcelona, I miss you, I love you, and I hope one day to be back again.

Pairs with Cheez-Its: Makes the apple even more crisp and tightens the mineral/I just licked a rock flavor. Yes, I have licked granite just to find out if it smelled like it tastes, and that was as a kid. Yep, I loved tasting everything as a 5 year old when most would scrunch up their face and say, “No mom, no I’m not eating that!”

#wine #worldbyglass #pandemic #covid19 #spain #cava #needmorewine #pairswithcheezits @cavabertha @vinewinenyc @cheezits @worldbyglass #workingfromhome #penedes #barcelona #Macabeo #Xarel·lo #Parellada