This year we started our New Year celebration with the wonderful sparkling wine of Spain called Cava. This one from Codorníu winery near Barcelona carries on a tradition of fine wine that dates back to the 1500's.
It is named after Anna, the Codorníu heiress who married the viticulturist Miguel Raventós in 1659. It fulfilled my every wish and expectation with persistent yet gentle effervescence and lucious flavors of pineapple, grapefruit and lime.
Over the last couple of years I've been purposely introducing friends and clients to Cava. It is always a hit.
Bottle fermentation, as opposed to tank fermentation brings about a wine that is less fruity, less "sweet" to many pallets. Flavors such as toastiness, nuttiness, caramel, and yeastiness come forward and the texture becomes smooth and creamy. The bubbles are tinier. It is a less aggresive wine, compared to tank fermented sparkling wine like Prosecco.
The grapes are 70% Chardonnay and 30% Parellada, a uniquely Spanish grape.
The name Cava comes from the Catalan word cava which means "cave", or "cellar". Caves were used in the early days of cava production for the preservation or aging of wine.
The Codorníu winery was designed by Puig í Cadalfach who studied under Antonio Gaudí. It is an outstanding example of Spanish ‘Modernist’ architecture. The winery is a National Monument of Historical Interest and receives over 150,000 visitors a year. We hope to be one of them this year.
critical acclaim:"This shows some richness, with Jonagold apple, honey, candied citrus peel and vanilla notes. There's juicy acidity for balance, with a creamy texture and a lingering finish. Drink now. 20,000 cases imported."
88 Points
Wine Spectator
"This shows some richness, with Jonagold apple, honey, candied citrus peel and vanilla notes. There's juicy acidity for balance, with a creamy texture and a lingering finish. Drink now. "
88 Points
Wine Enthusiast
Codorniu
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