Being on the Costa Barcelona, it would be a cardinal sin not to take a walk in El Penedès, also known as Cava Country and stop at a winery or two.
The rolling hills and high stony ground, approximately an hour south of Barcelona,
produce nearly all of Spain’s sparkling wine.
As the sun shines on the vineyards producing a blanket of
shades of green, interspersed with splashes of colour, we wander through the
countryside revelling in its bucolic loveliness.
The journey is full of wonders. We stumble on lovely old
houses which are architectural gems and pretty gardens full of flowers. But
what we are really here to do is learn about Catalonia’s most renowned wine,
cava.
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| The vineyards Courtesy of Courtesy of Barcelona Province Council |
“The first question people always ask me is: what is the
difference between champagne, cava and prosecco?” said our guide.
So here is a quick low down for those of you who don’t know
the difference. Champagne only comes from the Champagne region in France and is
typically blended with three grapes: pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay.
The method used to make this fizz is called méthode champenoise and is governed
by strict rules.
While the second fermentation for many sparkling wines takes
place in huge, closed pressurised tanks, the traditional method uses individual
bottles instead. The bubbles in champagne occur naturally as the wine ferments.
Champagne has been made this way for hundreds of years. The ageing process is a
minimum of 15 months but usually takes around three years.
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| A pretty vineyard |
Cava is made using the méthode tradicional and like
champagne, its second fermentation takes place in the bottle, and is left to
mature for at least nine months.
Our guide pointed out that cava tastes different from champagne. This is due to the
climate (it’s a Mediterranean climate here in Catalonia), the grapes used are
local grapes: xarel-lo, macabeo and parellada. The soil too is different
which also affects the flavour.
Champagnes are usually much richer and creamier than cavas
which tend to be leaner with clean, crisp green apple tangs.
Prosecco, the sparkler from Italy, is made using the Italian
Charmant method. Secondary fermentation takes place in large steel tanks. This
bubbly tends to be sweeter, lighter and quite fresh.
After touring the vineyards watching the men at work, we
made our way to Eudald Massana Noya, where nine generations of the family have
dedicated their lives to their vineyards. La Masia as the farmhouse is called,
is over 300 years old. If only walls could talk!
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| This cava was so good |
I’m sure the earliest members would never in their wildest
dreams have imagined that the land would evolve into a working wine estate
specialising in organic and biodynamic farming as well as a company with its
own unique identity.
We were shown how cava was made before getting down to the
important matter of the day, the tasting. The Reserva was so good and is one of
the finest cavas that I have tasted and I don’t normally like this wine. Aged
for approximately 24 to 30 months, it uses the three main local grapes as well as chardonnay.
And, it only has an alcohol content of 11.5 per cent.
The bad news they told us that it is not available in the
UK. However, you can buy well-known brands such as Freixenet and Codorníu. A
good cava served with a slice of peach spells summer!
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
Vueling airlines offers direct flights from London Gatwick
to El Prat airport, Barcelona, For the best fares and more information visit
www.vueling.com
Hotels
Hotel Solvi Passeig Ribes Roges 1 Vilanova i la
Geltrú Barcelona
Hostal Cal Pla (www.hostalcalpla.com) Avinguda Catalunya 56 (Sant Llorenç Savall)
Hotel Porta d’Alella (www.hotelportadalella.es) Av Sant Mateu, 5-9 Alella
Hostal Cal Pla (www.hostalcalpla.com) Avinguda Catalunya 56 (Sant Llorenç Savall)
Hotel Porta d’Alella (www.hotelportadalella.es) Av Sant Mateu, 5-9 Alella
Tourist information
Barcelona Province Council (promocio@diba.cat) Tel: 00 34 93 402 22 60
