catavinos newsletter - vol 1 ed 2 - cava

8/9/2019 Catavinos Newsletter - Vol 1 Ed 2 - Cava

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- 1 -All Content Catavino.net Newsletter 2008 Vol 1 Edition 2

For more info www.Catavino.net Email questions/comments to [email protected]

Catavino.net, bringing you Iberian Wines since 2005

This month at Catavino, we took an in-depth look into the winemaking practices, styles and majorproducers of Cava. Being new to the idea of monthly themes, we thought it would be appropriate tomake December the month of cava. Silly us! We failed to make the logical connection that 50% ofCava is sold during the month of December and January to the quantity of time that cava producerswould have to talk to us. Therefore, this newsletter is a bit shorter than last months, containing lesstasting notes than we would have liked, but well make up for it next year.

In our following issues, well be taking on larger themes andwith a more consistent set of issues. Well also move ourproduction down to a bi-monthly newsletter so that we mayinclude more tasting notes from a greater diversity of wine.Please let us know if there is something you would like tosee in future newsletters and well do our best to get it inhere!

What did we Learn in December aboutCava? By Gabriella Opaz

When we decided to dedicate the month of December tocava, we knew that the majority of you would most likelychoose Champagne over Cava. Dont get me wrong, we areenormous champagne lovers ourselves, but we would havefailed as ambassadors of Spanish and Portuguese wine ifwe didnt chime in with an alternative. So with our notebooksand cameras in hand, we traveled throughout D.O. Cava,interviewing winemakers, winery owners and officials alike,to gain perspective on the history, elaboration and culture ofcava wine.

By the end of the month, I can safely say that we learned three very important lessons. First, of the270 cava producers existing, only 7 produce more than 5 million bottles a year occupying more than80% of the entire cava market. Although we knew Freixenet and Codorniu were large brands, wedidnt realize what an enormous chunk of the market they controlled. Nor did we realize the diversityof wines that existed under the Freixenet label itself. Beyond Cordon Negro and Carta de Nevada, wewere clueless that they elaborated interesting and expressive high-end cavas. And although we had arelatively good idea that there was wide variety of smaller producers out there, we were shocked tolearn the range and quality of cavas that existed.

Second, we learned that cava winemakers are emphatic that their cavas be served not only duringthe holidays, but also as a wine to be enjoyed on any day for any occasion. Sparkling wine has beentypecasted as the festive wine: a wine that can only be drunk among smiling faces and celebratorythemes. Additionally, its an aperitif wine, reserved for a quick clinking of the glasses and brief sipbefore a speech. Its sad really, when considering all the fantastic options we have available to us,using our creativity to pair it with both exotic and simple cuisines. We can only hope that the next time

Catavino.net NewsletterVol. 1 Issue #2 January 2008

Cava for your Champagne Flute


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you decide to sit down with a glass of wine, youll not only choose a cava, but youll pair it witheverything from a turkey sandwich to winter squash stuffed ravioli with toasted almonds.

Finally, we took a big spoonful of our medicine when wewrote off a style of cava called, brut nature. How manytimes have we beseeched you to push past yourpreconceived notions and experiment? Weve asked youto try unconventional Portuguese wines, lesser knownPorts, and Sherry of any make or model. Yet, we fell into

the same trap, describing brut nature as uninteresting andunworthy of your time. We were wrong. There are brutnatures that are incredibly interesting and absolutelydeserving of your time. It boils down to your willingness toremain open, accepting that you cannot dislike an entirestyle of wine. Because inevitably, there is one that willmake your eyebrows raise, your lips form a half moon andyou voice utter a, hey, now thats pretty good.

In summary, with the limited time and resources we had during the month of December, were verypleased with the amount weve learned and remain confident that come next year, youll find uspreparing in October.

Cava TermsAn assortment of terms that you may run into as you explore Cava wines. Some will be found onbottles others will help define terms that we use in our writing about Cava.

Autolysis - The breakdown of yeast cells inside the sparkling wine bottle after the secondfermentation is completed.Blanc de Blancs - Wines made primarily from chardonnay.Crianza The aging process which allows sparkling wines to acquire a greater complexity,depth and texture in bottle.Degollamiento o Deguelle - Process by which sediment collected in the neck of the cava

bottle is frozen and removed prior to the final corking.Encorchado The process of sealing the final bottle with a cork.Licor de Expedicin - The determined amount of sugar to qualify the cava is dissolved inbrandy and added to the wine right before final corking.NV - Refers to a non-vintage sparkling wine with blends containing wine from previousvintages.Reserva - Term often used to designate an older, or exceptional, wine.Tapn de corcho Mushroom cork used to seal cava wineVino Reserva Wines reserved from previous vintages which are added to the blend forconsistent quality and style.Remocion Known as riddling, it is the art of turning and tilting bottles of cava to easesediment into the bottle necks. See deguelle.Rosado - Cava with a pink hue resulting from the addition of red wine or red grapes.Vino Base - Wine without carbonation.Tirage - Process of bottling cava with the addition of active yeast and sugar to provokesecond fermentation. The carbonation produced by second fermentation is trapped in bottle,whereby the effervescence or bubbles.Vintage The year the grapes are harvested.


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Traditional Cava Making at Heretat Mestres By Gabriella OpazLast week, we provided you an extensive article on our visit to a small cava producer called, HeretatMestres, located in the center of Sant Sadurni. At the end of the article, we promised a more detailedexplanation as how Mestres uses traditional winemaking techniques to elaborate their cavas. Whatweve included here is not only an in depth description of the secondary fermentation process, butalso the difference between mechanical and manual elaboration.

During second fermentation using the methode champenoise, a tirage of sugar and yeast are added

to the base. The bottle is sealed and left to age for at least nine months in an unusually thick bottle.Because they must withstand 90 pounds per square inch of pressure from the carbon dioxide, bottlesmust have enough girth to remain in tact. This leadsme to wonder how bad the experimental phase musthave been, and how many bottles exploded toeventually come to a sound equation?

This process of adding sugar and yeast, along withaging that takes place during the second fermentationin bottle, is called en tirage. Temperature is key duringsecond fermentation: the cooler the fermentation, thesmaller the bubbles in the finished product. So wines

en tirage are often cellared in very cool, humiditycontrolled cellars kept around 15 degrees Celsius.What is a Cava sealed with during second

fermentation? The majority of wineries will attest to using a crown cap during secondary fermentationfor both the simplicity of removal and to keep the wine airtight during its second stage ofdevelopment. Heretat Mestres differs on that approach. Because the wine needs to age for as long as7 years at a time, Mestres wants their cavas to breathe, age and interact with the environment aroundit. Its considered the natural way and a methodology which has proven extremely effective over their78 years of being in the cava industry.

Once a determined time has passed, the sediment must be removed without losing the characteristicsparkle, or carbon dioxide, of a cava. The first step in this process is riddling or remuage. If the lees

sitting idly on the bottom of the bottle are disturbed, they quickly kick up a cloud. This cloud looksmuch like a dust storm you may see rolling through the flatlands of New Mexico or Texas. To clarifythe cava, wineries will typically use a mechanical upright rack called a, gyro-pallet, which will slowlyturn the bottles and tilt upwards over the course of a week. This allows the unsightly sludge to quicklycollect in the neck of the bottle, which is flash-frozen in a cold brine. The metal cap is thenmechanically removed, allowing the frozen yeast to catapult out of the bottle in a process calleddisgorging. Once the sediment is gone, the bottle will be sealed with the traditional mushroom corkcap.

Tradition is equivalent to time, because man cannot work as quickly as a machine, but she can workmore precisely. In the traditional method of riddling cava, a bottle is placed into a free standing rackshaped like a tent and made of cement. Both side of the cement slab tent contain holes where thecava bottles can fit, neck down. A riddler will then turn each bottle an eighth of an inch to the right andslightly up over the course of 28 days. Once the sediment has reached the neck, the sediment is flashfrozen and removed manually by uncorking the bottle, adding additional base wine and re-corking theusing a natural mushroom cork cap.

Mestres prides itself on elaborating quality wine using old-school techniques. Maybe our parents hada point when they told us if youre going to do something at all, do it right the first time.


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Special Interview with Manuel Raventos of Raventos I BlancBy Gabriella Opaz

Last week, I had the rare opportunity to chat with Manuel Raventos, president of the cava house,Raventos I Blanc, by phone. What follows is not only a history of Raventos I Blanc, but also Manuelsexplanation of his long, prestigious family lineage in winemaking, his vision in making cava, and thesymbol of what Raventos I Blanc stands for.

Since the late 15th century, this 90 hectare vineyardhas been passed down from generation to generationsurviving war, famine, the inquisition and feud. Canyou imagine owning something for 500 years? Evenour largest purchase, a house, will typically last aslong as our children are with us before we downsize,hoping that the remaining funds will bolster ourretirement, but imagine holding on to something for 9generations!

The land was originally bought by Llorenc Cordorniu

in 1497, but it wasn't for another 200 years until theRaventos family took ownership through the marriageof Maria Cordoniu and Miquel Raventos: wherebyforming a joint venture in winemaking under theCordorniu/Raventos name. In 1872, after the quickand devastating hit by the phylloxera plague upon theregion, forcing growers to rip out their entirevineyards, Josep Ravents i Fatj used Champagne's success in elaborating the first sparklingwine in Spain. But to do so, he had to fly hog wild in the face of tradition by producing a style otherthan mistela - a regional based wine produced by adding alcohol to non-fermented or partiallyfermented must. While at the same time, Miquel planted the white indigenous varietal, xarel.lo, ratherthan the traditional red varietals grown before the phylloxera devastation. His intention was to find a

varietal with enough structure and sugar to elaborate a quality cava.

Now you may be thinking, "Wait a second! You've been telling me for all this time that there are threemain varietals used in the production of cava!" And you would be absolutely correct. There are threevarietals, but the second varietal, Macabeo, wasn't introduced until the mid 1920s by ManuelRaventos, adding more fruit, finesse and bouquet to their cavas. Parellada and Chardonnay weren'tutilized until decades later under the trusted leadership of Josep Maria Raventos. These guys werethe pioneers of the trusted trio: Xarel.lo, Macabeo and Parellada.

But let's step back a bit, because there is key part of this story that needs to be clarified. As Imentioned, Maria Cordoniu and Miquel Raventos married, linking the two families together. WhenJosep Ravents i Fatj created the first Spanish sparkling wine using the Champanoise Method, he

did so under the family's name, Codorniu. Later, in 1885, Josep's son, Manuel Ravents MontserratFatj, became the l'hereu (inheritor in Catalan) of the family business, paving the way in gettingCordoniu's Spanish sparkling wine, then called Champagne, into the market. The tenacity of theRavents/Codorniu family allowed Codorniu to reach the production figure of 300,000 bottles by usingthe latest technology. As the business grew, so did their need for grapes. In 1914, Manuel RaventsMontserrat Fatj bought 3,500 hectares in Lleida to plant Xarel.lo grapes in order to supply Codorniuwith an adequate supply to increase its production. Later, in 1927, management of the Codornu


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winery in Sant Sarduni was left in the hands of his sons, most importantly, Manuel Raventos i Blanc.Of the Codorniu/Raventos property, Manuel retained rights over the vineyard, while the remainder ofthe estate, including the winery and main house, was left under the Codorniu name youre currentlyfamiliar with.

It wasn't for another sixty years before the Raventos family founded their own brand under theleadership of Josep Maria Raventos i Blanc. With a little prodding from his son Manuel, they decidedto create the project together. But devastation hit the family a few months after the celebratory toastto the new winery. While Josep Maria was fishing in Australia, enjoying some time off before diving

into his new winery adventure, he was pulled off the boat and drown. Although death is alwaysdifficult to cope with, when hearing this story from several people at the Raventos winery, it'scontinually been told with a smile. Their feeling is that he died not only with the satisfying goal ofcreating his own, personal winery fresh in his heart, but he left while doing something he loved. Awish we all hope for when that inevitable day comes.

"We have the technology to produce the best grapes in different parts of the vineyards. To know avineyard is very difficult. We need 50, 60, or even 70 years before we know the success of a newgrape varietal. When I talk about tradition, I am talking about knowledge. Because we produce ourgrapes, we know our terroir. We know each part of the vineyard and what grape to produce in eachone of those parts."

Today, Manuel Raventos, the current president of Raventos i Blanc, prides himself on producing awine not only of the utmost quality, but with an eye towards the future. As an enologist and aviticulturist, he is concerned about the land, wanting to do his part producing an ecologically soundcava, but not for the reasons you'd imagine. Manuel believes in research. Having spent part of 20's

studying the delta of the Ebro River in southern Catalunya,Manual has seen, first hand, how nature has its own rhythm. Tocall yourself an ecological producer means that you've resignedyourself to following set regulations as determined by theregulating board. Manuel believes that many of these rules arenot always made with in the best interest of the vines and thevineyard.

"We fight for balance now and in 100 years through research.I'm not stupid. I know that if I put ecological on my label that I'llsell more bottles. But the objective with ecological wine is tohave [accept] a religion, where everything is black and white.The objective for me is nature and the environment."

Nature is the core of Raventos i Blanc, as seen by their 500year old oak tree majestically housed alongside their winery. It'sthe symbol of their winery and a testament of Manual's beliefthat a good business is a business that accepts change. Asfalling leaves inevitably lead to spring buds, change is a part oflife, it is part of a vineyard, and it is an essential part of

winemaking. Their twenty-one year old winery is a testament to this belief. Designed by the JosepMaria Raventos and Manuel Raventos under the guidance of two innovative architects, Jaume Bachand Gabriel Mora, the winery is a seamless combination of both functionality and beauty.

"Great conversations are had under a tree, and many great conversations were had under our oaktree. When you enter our winery, you have immediate access to our tree. It is there for all of us and itsymbolizes change."


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A tree is a symbol of life, a symbol of growth, a symbol of change, and a symbol of acceptance. ForRaventos I Blanc, great winemaking is an art, stemming from a deep well of acceptance that changeis inevitable. And like Walt Whitman said, I think of few heroic actions, which cannot be traced to theartistical impulse. He who does great deeds, does them from his innate sensitiveness to moralbeauty.

Address: Placa del roure, s/n 08770 Sant Sadurni D'Anoia (Barcelona) SpainTelephone: 0034 938 183 262

Fax: +0034 938 912 500Email:[email protected]: www.raventos.comBarrels Produced Annually: 172Bodega Founded: 1986Hectares of Vines Grown: 90Enologist: Joana Vias PochGrape Varieties Grown: Xarel.lo, Parellada, Macabeo, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Monastrell,Cabernet SauvignonCava Wines: Manuel Raventos, Elisabet Raventos, Gran Reserva de la Finca, L'Hereu de Raventos iBlancStill Wines: Montserrat Blanc, Silencis de Xarel.lo, Silencis de Chardonnay, Preludi, Perfum de Vi

Blanc, La Rosa de Raventos i Blanc, Isabel Negra, Octubre, NoviembreDistribution: national market 80%, international market 20%.Main export markets: England, Germany, Belgium, USA, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria,Netherlands, Scandinavia...US Distributor: Michael Skurnik Wines


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Catavino Cava Wine Tasting Notes

As per our mission of providing tasting notes with out ratings, we have chosen to include all winestasted that we felt were worth recommending. If a wine is listed without a note, we tasted it, but either

the wine was faulty, or we do not recommend it. Certain wines will have a located next to them.

These wines, in our tastings, stood out as special wines to one or both of us. equal aunanimous agreement as to quality. Therefore, we both highly recommend these wines.

Ros Cava

Rose Cavas are wines that traditionally have been made withthe grape Trepat. Trepat is a seriously boring grape with littleor no character. Many years ago, Bodegas Cordoniu firstintroduced Pinot Noir to cava country, taking a cue from Champagne. Thank goodness! While thereare nice roses made from Trepat, they are often blends of Trepat, Monastrell or Garnacha, andsometimes, Pinot Noir. Ranging from onion skin pink to concentrated medium red wines, we find thatrose cavas are consistently our favorites. Food friendly and perfect for the charred flavors of grilledmeat, we urge you to seek these out to try in the summer once youve dusted off the grill from a longwinters sleep!

Elena de Mestres 2004 Reserva EspecialMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, Monastrell

Ryan: Medium garnet color with fine bubble and nice clarity. Rosehips and strawberries crush in apile of stones, that's the nose that comes to mind at first. Full in the mouth with a rich toastiness andmedium acidity. Cherry backdrop supports minerals and yeasty bread, with a full and round finish. Itseems to me to be something that will go well with the traditional Catalan dish, calots.

Gabriella - Light current in color with active medium size bubbles. Although restrained, the noseshows primarily rosehips, followed by more subtle notes of caramel, stewed strawberries and freshlycooked bread. The palate also happens to be restrained, showing less than the nose, withcranberries, bread and cream. This wine is neither dramatic nor impressive, but very integrated withgood acidity and solid structure.

N.V. Segura Viudas Brut Rosado80% Trepat, 10% Monastrell, 10% Garnacha, aged 1-2 years in bottle.

Gabriella - Raspberry in color with an onion peel hue, showing a healthy display of tiny, extremelyactive, linear bubbles. On the nose, this wine is elegant and genteel giving off only a hint of cranberry,red apple flesh, and some light hibiscus notes. Great acidity with a round, lush feel on the palate. Thisis a very clean wine, fresh and bright, albeit reserved on the palate due to the overwhelming vivacityfrom the bubbles. I get some ripe fruit flavors and just of touch of strawberry cream on the finish. Thisis a good little wine, perfect for a pizza dinner!

Ryan - Lightly pale red color with the finest of bubbles. The nose is very restrained with the slightesttouch of cherry/cranberry fruit, surrounded by toasty exterior. In the mouth though this wine is fun,

with a rich full mouthfeel that is full of life and a good structure. Medium acidity is balanced by thelightest rounding out of sweetness. Flavors of cherry, and cranberry do dominate, though there is abreadiness that sits stage left seemingly waiting for its entrance. Fresh finish on this one that whilenot long, leaves subtle touches of fruit floating in my empty mouth.

Josep M Ferret Guasch Brut Nature Rose ReservaPinot Noir, Garnacha, Trepat, aged 30 months in bottle.

Cava Factoid!Cava literally meansunderground cellar


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Cava Classification CheatHeres a small table to show you what to expect from various styles of Cava and to also show you thepercent of each style sold according to the year 2006.

Style Dosage(sugar added) % of Sales World Wide 2006Brut Nature No Sugar Added

Extra Brut Up to 6grams/liter13%

Brut Up to 15 grams/liter 47%

Extra Dry 12-20 grams/liter No figuresSeco (Dry) 17-35 grams/liter 9%

Semi-seco (Medium Dry) 33-50 grams/liter 31%

Dulce (Sweet) Over 50 grams/liter No figures

Cava Brut

Brut Cava wines have up to 15gr/liter of sugar added to them. Though in reality, this number is oftenwell below 10grams, its primary purpose is to balance cavas famously strong acidity. In the wines wetasted, the dosage was very apparent when compared to wines from the same producer, but withouta dosage added (Brut Nature).

Raventos i Blanc - Gran Reserva de la Finca 200320% Macabeo, 40% Xarel.lo, 25% Parellada, 10 Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir, aged 4 years.

Gabriella - Delicate, active bubbles in a rich golden brew of color. On the nose, the wine is pungentand fruity, showing aromas of lychees, banana, cranberry, green apple under a fine mist of perfumenotes. Light in body with medium acidity, the wine is both expressive and integrated. Big herbal and

green apple flavors on the palate that linger, luxuriously, for moments before a big tropical finish.Great wine!

Ryan - Golden and clear, this is a beautiful looking wine. On the nose the first notes come off as lightmushroom, pineapple and yeast. Very full in the mouth with an incredible fruit component, and richtoasty flavors. Think lemon compote with pineapple spread on a dark piece of toasted bread. Really abeautiful wine.


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Raventos i Blanc - LHereu Reserva Brut Vintage 200560% Macabeo, 20% Xarel.lo, 20% Parellada

Gabriella - Light hay in color with rays of radiant gold and fine, active bubbles. On the nose, the wineemanates notes of bread and melon in a veil of white peach flesh. In the mouth, this wine is balancedand harmonious with a bright, crisp acidity and long herbal finish.

Ryan - Fine gold color with small bubbles. The nose shows a sweet tart quality with light yeasty toast,roasted nuts, and an overall fresh nuance. In the mouth it is creamy with pear, lemon compote, and agolden apple finish. Medium weight and all together a fresh vibrant offering.

Pinord NaturaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada

Gabriella - White gold in color with extremely active big bubbles.Yeasty on the nose with a sour dough, citrus and pear aroma inthe background. Light in body with good acidity and a slight biteon the palate. Big green apple flavors evolve to a pear rind and almond finish. Simple and straightforward wine.

Ryan - Light color and bigger than normal bubbles. Bready nose with yeast and light lemons zest. Inthe mouth the wine is light with a high acidity. Light bread notes, a slight bitterness in the mid palate.Marzipan notes come in and out, but overall, not a very complex offering.

Freixenet - Cordon Negro Reserva40% Parellada, 35% Macabeo, 25% Xarello

Gabriella - White gold in color with medium sized semi-active bubbles. On the nose, I'm primarily hitby pear, bread and raw almond notes. This is a delicate but present flavor. In the mouth, the winefully coats my tongue, with light flavors of mineral, pear and a touch of bread notes that linger rightnear the end. Well integrated, good structure, yet not the star of the party.

Ryan - Nice bubble on this pale colored wine. White flowers, and flesh fruits (peach) come across onthe nose at first with a very light element of yeast. Soft and gentle wine. In the mouth this wine is softwith a medium acidity and light sweetness that is balanced to the point of leaving the finishcompletely clean. Soft apple notes, linger on the end and with a pleasant minerality. Gentle and whilenot unique, incredibly balanced and cohesive wine. Like a straight A student with good marks, a cleanrecord, but not always the most interesting person to talk to.

Cava Factoid!The third largest

consumer of Spanishcava is Belgium


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Josep M Ferret Guasch ReservaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 30 months in barrel.

Gabriella - Light gold in color with tiny floating bubbles casually making their way to the surface as ifthey have all the time in the world. On the nose, this wine is reserved, showing only a hint of yeast,light fleshy fruits and maybe, if you search for it, floral notes. Alive with acidity and crispness, it showsa hint of apple, but otherwise, think metal or mineral. Maybe sucking on a piece of polished slatewould be a good analogy, coated in a light mist of green apple. Although a little to austere at firstbreathe, a touch more fruit might ease the harsh sharpness. With food, this wine could potentiallyshow a more balanced and entertaining side of itself, letting its hair down.

Ryan - Light golden in color with wine has a nice foam at first,though is a bit flat after the pour. Honey notes come out straightaway on the nose with golden apples and some hazelnut aromas.In the mouth the sucker has a ton of acidity and a brightnessabout it that lends way to cold steel minerality. Apple is a flavorthat is not readily apparent and yet gives the platform for the lightmustiness, and minerals. Really an austere wine that I would liketo see with food, though not the most balanced wine by itself.

ParxetMacabeo, Parellada, Pansa Blanca

Gabriella - Light gold in color with medium bubbles, showing toffee and butter over more subtletropical notes. On the palate, I primarily pick out cream and butter followed by light secondary flavorsof pineapple and banana. Good solid body and acidity, but really not much else to it.

Ryan - Light golden color with some light bubbles though not overly active. Tropical notes on the nosewith hints of pineapple and peach notes. Rich wine in the mouth with a full mouthfeel, this has to havea touch of chardonnay in it. Strong pineapple flavors, though not as obvious as the nose, with a touchof yeast. Not very effervescent, and both the acidity and verve are lacking.

Segura Viudas - Reserva Heredad (Estate)67% Macabeo, 33% Parellada, aged 4 years in bottle.

Gabriella - Tiny active bubbles streaming in linear formation from either side of the glass, crossingright in the middle without ever touching. Beautiful to watch even once the bubbles have settled into acalm, consistent rhythm. On the nose, I immediately pick out vanilla, butter, cream with a veil oftropical fruit. Great acidity and body, allowing the wine to literally dance on the palate. On the palate, Ipick out big almond flavors, tropical fruit and an undercurrent of sweet butter cream.

Ryan - Light gold color with a string of very fine bubbles at the center. Fat nose with butter, cream,tropical fruits, vanilla and more. In the mouth this wine is full of zesty acidity and light citrus. Whiteflowers make a strong appearance with minerals rounding out the clean, dry, lingering finish. Well

rounded wine and it is one that I would reach for.

Cava Factoid!In 1950, Semi-Seco made

up for 78% of the entirecava market, whereas now,it occupies only 31% of the

market


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Mestres Mas Via: Gran Reserva FamiliarMacabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada 1yr in barrel 7 yrs in bottle

Gabriella - Tiny active bubbles with the occasional small bubble jumping in the game. Really perfumynose with lychee, mango flesh and dry fruits interwoven with sensual and unusual notes ofhoneycomb and white flowers. Stunning. Dense, creamy and lush in the mouth with bright acidity,showing hazelnuts, butterscotch cream, yeast, pear flesh and floral notes right near the end. Thiswine is absolutely incredible!

Ryan - Light golden color with fine bubbles. The nose shows honey and nettles with tropical fruits andmango peal. In the mouth the wine is lush and honeyed with rich flavors of vanilla, cream, yeastybread and musty cellar. Really a complex and exciting wine with layer after layer of fruit and perfumyaromas. Lush in the mouth with a medium acidity that balances to perfection the light sweetness inthe middle. This is a wine to fall in love with. Get a case!

Mestres - Els Cupatges de Mestres ReservaEspecial BarcelonaMacabeo, Xarel.lo and Parellada,

Gabriella - A zillion tiny little bubbles all in a line, awaiting word to

release their pungent, floral aromas. White flowers, pear, applejuice, and a touch of brown honey burst from the glass pulling my nose directly in for a secondbathing. Toffee, butterscotch, lemon and hibiscus notes circulate throughout my mouth with a thickand delicious veil of vanilla and cream. This wine is fantastic, rich and inviting with everything inharmony.

Ryan - Peachy nose with white flowers sit in the glass as though across the room, apparent but not inany rush to fill my nose, while light orange blossom honey sits drizzled on the floor between us. Afresh wine with breezy fresh air that makes it VERY hard to spit out as I look at a still long line ofwines to try. Calm and collected this is the definition of a cool, a wine understated but full ofinformation. I loath the thought of not finishing this glass full, thankfully the finish is not short, lingeringwhile delicate tidbits of minerals and faint exotic spices dance through the air left in my mouth.

Balanced like day balances the night.

Gramona Imperial 200340% Macabeo, 50% Xarel.lo, 10% Parellada, aged in bottle for 3-4 years.

Gabriella - Itty bitty bubbles, gradually streaming to the surface with neither speed nor tenacity. Thenose shows only a slight inkling of yeast and tart fruit aromas. It's difficult for me to pick out anythingin particular although in unison the aromas are very rich and luxurious. After 30 minutes, the wineopened up further, giving off aromas of peach and vanilla ice cream drizzled in caramel sauce. Greatacidity! Honey, melon, butterscotch and coffee flavors on the palate, leading to a short but intensefinish.

Ryan - Light gold in color and lacking a bit in bubbles. The nose on this is really fun, full of fruit andexciting. Fresh grape aromas that remind of picking grapes as a child with my grandpa on his farm,full of pure fruit flavors and overripe lush character. Peaches fill out the nose and this wine really isenjoyable to keep my nose in the glass. In the mouth this is a big wine with a rich roundness that is amouth filling and intense. Medium acidity and the slightest touch of sweetness balance each otherwell. Think of fresh fruits, light yeasty edges, hints of honey and a mineral playing field.

Cava Factoid!Central Spain consumes

the least amount of Cava inSpain at a measly 4% of

national sales


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Freixenet Cuvee DS 200340% Macabeo, 40% Xarello, 20% Parellada

Gabriella - Tiny bubbles streaming from every corner of the glass, active and happy to be drunk.Wow, think oak. This wine is loaded with woody, yeasty and buttery aromas. If I stood inside a barreland took a big solid whiff, I couldn't get closer to the aroma. The bubbles are so fine and so inviting

that they coat my palate releasing big, rich flavors of butterscotch and vanilla. Earthy and dense, Ithink this wine would pair incredibly well with our soon to be eaten paella. Let's find out! Confirmed,fabulous with paella and with time, the wine opened, becoming more expressive. I really enjoy it.

Ryan - Yeasty nose is apparent right away as I look intosome of the finest bubbles Ive ever seen. Toast and toastedoak also are strong players on this wines nose. In the mouththis wine is the definition of lush, and mouth filling with lots oftoasted wood notes. Rich and really a dense wine. I have tosay that the flavors make me want to decant it. Rich yeasty,woody, wine with density and a under tone of lemoncompote that makes me think it would be great with food.Not an obvious wine but rather a wine that I want to go backto in about an hour.

Freixenet - Reserva Real80% Macabeo, Parellada 10% Xarello 10%,

Gabriella - Big bubbles line the sides of the glass with tiny little bubbles streaming from the bottomrim. On the nose, the wine has a musty attic quality to it followed by cooked plantains, vanilla andraw almonds. The aromas are rich, while at the same time, fresh and enticing. On the palate, theflavors are more subdued, masked by a rich vanilla and cream flavor. But if you wait, allowing theflavors to cascade off your palate, you'll also find honey, freshly churned butter and citrus notes. Thisis not your powerhouse wine, but I'll call it your comfort wine, wrapping around your palate in rich,

warm flavors.

Ryan - SUPER fine bubbles, like pin pricks floating into the air. The nose on this wine is full of dustyair and reserves itself for judgment. As if gazing through a cobweb entrance you can make out theflavors beyond but they remain a bit hidden. Rich filling mouthfeel to this wine, really incredibly richwith notes of dulcet vanilla, layers of dust, and yet an underlying fruitiness that is not willing toannounce itself quite yet. Lemon citrus, whose acidity is a wonderfully well place balance to the leesrich body. I have to say that this is an adult wine, as silly as that may seem, grown up and complexwhere a bit of conversation and some food will really make it sing.

Pinord - MarrugatMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada

Castell de Blanch - Cava Brut Zero: corked

Cava Factoid!The 5th Annual JournalismAward for the best pieceproduced on television,

radio or for printdisseminating the culture of

Cava and fostering itsprestigewill be announced

on February 5th, 2008.


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Cava Brut Nature

This is the driest of the dry, and in fact, unless you grow up with this style, it can become very difficultto understand and appreciate. From our tastings, we found that often, this style was not in balance.The austere nature of these wines requiredthat you drink them with food, which benefitedfrom the acidity. Surprisingly, these white

wines often paired perfectly with grilled meat,allowing the rich, dense flavor to both lightenand expand on the palate. Look for wines thatare held in oak for longer periods of time. Wealso found that brut natures with less than 18months of aging on the lees were too harsh tofully enjoy. Longer time on the lees softenedthe harsh acidity and made for a rounder,better balanced wine.

Raventos i Blanc - Manuel RaventosGran Reserva Personal 200025% Macabeo, 25% Xarel.lo, 40% Parellada, 10% Chardonnay, aged 7 years.

Ryan - Insanely small and vigorous bubbles in this wine. Creamy nose with plenty of toast, nuts, andpineapple/orange rind aromas. In the mouth this wine shows it's age with light oxidation, and a mouthfilling body. Very dry with lime and minerals making this a very austere wine with lots of structure.Preferable with food, hearty in nature. This is a serious offering that I might even let breath for sometime before drinking.

Gabriella Tiny bubbles creating a big, boisterous crown that emits aromas of cream, wood, walnutsand citrus notes. In the mouth, the wine is creamy and round but quickly dissipates off the palate,leaving a crisp, clean sensation. On the palate, the wine is austere, but well integrated showing greatminerality and citrus flavors. Although tough to sip on its own, I think this would be a fantastic winewith food!

N.V. Euldad Massana Noya - ReservaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, aged in cellar 30-36 months

Ryan - Larger bubbles with a light but reserved nose. Bready with noticeable yeast, green apple andoverall very pleasant. In the mouth the green apple continues with light toasty notes andlemon/orange rind. Overall a well rounded and enjoyable wine.

Gabriella - Pale straw in color with large bubbles traveling to the surface with both purpose anddetermination. The nose is reserved but extremely pleasant showing green apple, toast and tropical

notes. In the mouth, the wine is very well integrated with good, crisp acidity and great body. Lightnutty flavors on the palate layered with light mineral and pear notes. This is a very elegant, femalewine, fantastic to just sip and enjoy for itself.


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N.V. Euldad Massana Noya - FamiliaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 18 months.

Ryan - Clear in color with a not that lemony with a minerally whetstone quality to it. Green apples andlemons show on the palate with a noticeable creaminess. Well rounded cava that is a great value.

Gabriella - Pale straw in color with a consistent stream of active small bubbles. The bouquet is gentle

and reserved showing wood, bodega, citrus and ripe apple notes. Lush and soft in the mouth leavinga very bright and fresh acidity on the palate. Apple, vanilla and raw almond flavors bounce around thepalate with life and vivacity. Fun wine!

Pinord - Cava Marrugat Gran Reserva 2003Macabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada

Ryan - Light gold with fine bubbles. Buttered toast nose with lotsof candied citrus qualities to it. With time some green bean notessneak into the nose with Bosc pear element in the mouth. Softand light in the mouth with a with a pure yeasty bread character through the whole wine. A bit flabbybut still enjoyable with Light grapefruit at the finish and overall all pleasant wine with a nice overall

body as it opens up. Apple makes a small bit role appearance but overall a simple wine.

Gabriella - Tiny bubbles are interwoven with the occasional fat bubble popping in a few seconds. Palehay in color with golden highlights, the cava is rich with yeasty notes on the nose, a sauted butterbackground and delicate citrus highlights coming through every now and then. Although good acidity,it lacks in body showing slightly watered flavors of artichoke and pear.

Josep M Ferret Guasch - Gran Reserva Coupage SaraMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, aged 60 months.

Ryan - Tiny but sparse bubbles on this one with a light gold color. Marzipan, roasted nuts, pear,orange, apple and more. FUN nose with lots going on. Big structure and body to this wine. Creamy

yeastiness comes in on the palate with a zingy acidity. Apple and light nut flavors mix in the mouthwith this wine. Fun wine.

Gabriella - This wine is very pale yellow in color showing reflections of straw green when the light hitsin just the right angle, with small, active, waltzing bubbles. Aesthetically great to stare at as it has achameleon like quality, changing in hue and activity from one moment to the next. Big and boldbodega notes on the nose, wet and musty, with secondary notes of raw almonds, ripe red apple,band aide, lemon juice and lemongrass. Strangely enough, as the night continues the east-Asianaroma of lemon grass is doubly emphasized with aromas of white hibiscus. And with 60 months inbarrel, I can easily say that this wine is extremely bright with medium to high acidity, full bodied andshowing aromas of almonds, crusty French bread, green apple and intense lemon notes. I would loveto try this wine with big hunk of rich goat cheese or even a sweet piece of freshly grilled steak.

Cava Factoid!It is estimated that there

are 250 million bubbles perbottle of Cava


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Josep M Ferret Guasch - ReservaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 30 months.

Ryan - Straw color with fine bubbles but not vigorous. Lemony apple nose that is a bit restrained andwon't seem to leave the glass. Great structure with a ton of backbone and richness to this wine. Fullbodied and I really like the simplicity of it though the finish remains a bit short. Lemon peel light floralnotes and a yeasty pear notes is the only way to describe it. Longer finish and I might like it more.

Gabriella - Pale green in color emphasizing the small, lazy bubbles calmly making their way to thesurface. The wine shows rich aromas of butter, caramel and yeast on the nose and an active, freshsensation in the mouth. Flavors of pouched pears, lemon zest, buttered toast and toasted almondslinger on the palate.

Josep M Ferret Guasch - Gran ReservaMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 48 months.

Ryan - Medium bubble with a light steely gold color, lightly bready nose with some hints of lemon andyellow apple notes. Med to high acidity with a complete dryness. Very austere, almost overly austere.Some lemon notes light apple, though the breadiness doesn't come through. Nice structure, and

body, though it remains a simple wine.

Gabriella - Deep almond in color with a slight tinge of greenhighlights. The wine is a blend of both big and small bubbleswhich release big yeasty aromas followed by more delicate andzesty notes of orange rind, raw almonds and butter. On the palate,the cava is crisp and fresh on the palate with good structureleading to flavors of both yeast and lemon.

Mestres - Clos Nostre Senyor 2001 Gran Reserva ParticularMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 5 years.

Ryan - VERY fine bubbles and light gold, very light. Reminds me on the nose of a Belgian Guezebeer with a sour barnyard quality mixed with coffee. Lemon notes drift in and out with toast and otherelusive notes dancing in the background. Creamy bubbles in the mouth with chocolate and coffeehints, floral notes with lemony citrus and toasty sugar cookies. The body is big but well balanced andcomes off as a round and complete wine. Still at the end I feel like I'm drinking a sour lambic fromtime to time.

Gabriella - Active tiny bubbles stream from the core of the glass with a pale straw green color. Thewine is rich in floral perfume notes followed by undertones of coffee berries, peach flesh and lychee.There is a slight hint of citrus on the palate under a rich blanket of pear, toffee, hibiscus and rawhazelnuts. Good acidity and body with Turron as the primary flavor on the palate. As the cava opens,hints of pear and toast peak out from the strong almond flavor. Great wine with fabulous body, but

lacks, just a touch on the finish. I find it watery where I had hoped for a touch more zest.

Cava Factoid!The Northeast of Spain

drinks the most Cava with25% of national sales


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Mestres - Brut Nature Coquet Vintage 2004Macabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 3 years.

Gabriella -Pale hay in color with tiny highly active bubbles. Fresh green vegetable notes on the nosewith marzipan, butter and cream entering into the mix as a delicate veil. Great acidity, medium-

bodied, the wine shows zesty notes of lemon, raw almonds and toffee on the palate. Its a goodeveryday wine.

Ryan - Light gold and small bubbles. Artichoke and citrus zest with a bready minerality if that makesany sense! In the mouth it is not very effervescent with a softness and lots of breadiness, yeastybaked goods and a restrained orange note on the finish. Medium to low acidity that give very littlestructure.

Mestres - Visol 2003 Reserva ParticularMacabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada, aged 3-6 years.

Gabriella - Medium straw in color with active tiny bubbles remaining in rigid, linear formation, while

continuously spiraling to the right. Very odd behavior but great fun to watch! Really bold andvoluptuous bouquet of coffee, lemon, marzipan, toffee, cocoa, toasted almonds and concentratedorange juice notes. Balanced and alive in the mouth with loads of turron (buttery almond flavor typicalof Spain), sauted butter and lemon notes. This wine has a fantastic acidity aiding in its longpersistent herbal finish.

Ryan - Beautiful bubble structure. with fine tiny little stars on a gold background. Nose shows a lotwith orange rind, light toffee, coffee bean?, and much more, really a fun wine. Vigorous in the mouthwith a elegant silky mouthfeel. Toasted notes and coffee beans, toffee, lemon juice like acidity thoughsoft and in the background. Full and round in the mouth with a balance that makes me want to returnfor more.

Freixenet - 2004 Brut Nature40% Macabeo, 30% Xarello, 30% Parellada

Ryan - Straw color with fine bubbles. Fruit flavored candy canes? Maybe it's a blend of vanilla, lightbread, and fresh air. Petichor, nose with more to it showing that it needs time. In the mouth this winehas a lot of body with toasted buttered bread notes and other cocoa like flavors underneath. A lemonbase seems to support it all. Very nice wine.

Gabriella - Pale yellow in color with small active bubbles. Subtle creamy bouquet showing pine, hay,butter, toffee, red apple flesh and a touch of lemon juice. On the palate, the wine holds its own withgood acidity and structure. Rich creamy white chocolate mousse on the palate with underpinnings ofmarzipan and butter.


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Segura Viudas Lavit 200440% Macabeo, 40% Xarello 20% Parellada

Ryan - Light gold! Straw colored with fine bubbles. Butter, not toasted bread with butter, but raw

butter! Lemony comfit comes in though again this wine is reserved. Soft like a babys ass with a silkycreamy texture. Med to high acidity with a pure apple note that runs through the middle. Very austerewith a reserved nature to it. Structure is high and body is big, maybe a candidate for more robustfoods.

Gabriella - Deep aroma of freshly churned butter in an oak barrel with delicate notes oftoasted almonds and citrus notes. This wine has an incredibly high acidity with creamytoasted notes and lingering mandarin and apple finish. I might go so far to call this wine spicy andexpressive in its biting texture.

Castellblanch - Reserva Dos Lustros40% Macabeo, 40% Parellada, 20% Xarello


18/21



Bonus Wine of the Month - Avi Ton!! - by Ryan Opaz

As a wine geek/wine blogger/wino, one of the questions I often get from my non-geek friends is what Imean when I say a wine is varietally correct. It often comes up when someone brings over a wine toour house that they wish our opinion on. Often times the wine is perfect for enjoying in one anotherscompany, yet nothing to make me jump up and down with vinous joy! I often will, out of habit, mentionthat the wine is varietally correct when its a single varietal bottling, such as a Garnacha from thePriorat. If I mention the varietal correctness, Im referring to the fact that the wine exhibits all the

characteristics of a Garnacha made in the Priorat. In this case, there would be minerality combinedwith deep, rich, red fruits and black pepper notes. Theseare the wines I like to turn to when teaching or doing aseminar, as they are the wines that help people to learna regions style and tipicity.

Today, however, I would like to talk about the other sideof varietal correction, that which is varietally incorrect,inspired by a wine I tasted and an article I read recently.Last week, while visiting with the owner and viticulturistof a cava house, we were given the opportunity to tasteboth an example of his cavas and of his still wines.

Although his cavas were notable, the Avi Ton, a mono-varietal wine made with 100% Xarel.lo, was for meexceptional and it turned out possessed a heritageuniquely tied to the property. The story goes that theowner discovered that while the vines located in one partof his property were 100% Xarel.lo, they turn out to be aunique clone unique to their property. You see,traditionally, Xarel.lo is known for its acidity and structurethat forms the backbone of the Cava trinity: Parellada,Macabeo and Xarel.lo. And while some have tried tomake single varietal wines from this grape, barring a fewnotable successes, most find that the wines created are

anything but interesting. Varietally correct wine madefrom Xarel.lo often times is too acidic and lacking any real fruit character to balance out the body, butAvi Ton was different.

The name, Avi Ton, is derived from winemakers grandfather, Antonio Massana Noya. As the wine ismade from 60+ old vines, they consider them grandfather vines, and as Avi in Catalan meansgrandfather, they used this and the nickname for Antonio - Toni to create the name. The wine isnothing like any other I have ever had - a dramatic and bold statement, but one I feel safe in making.When poured, nothing in particular stood out as far as color or the viscosity. What appeared to be alight, golden color, didnt make me think twice as to its uniqueness. That changed, abruptly, when mynose entered the glass and I was met with aromas I didnt expect. Creamy vanilla and exotic lycheemade me wonder if I wasnt smelling Gewurztraminer or Moscatel; followed by a dusty minerality,

which I could never fully grasp as I searched for something recognizable. I took a sip, and Im suremy face showed confusion as I tried again to understand what was going on. Sawdust, still floating inmy dads wood shop came to mind at first, but this quickly blended with notes of clove and lemonbalm. Ive drank a lot of Xarel.los in my life, but this was all together different, and I was very muchenjoying the experience. Made in very limited quantities, the wine is said to be primarily exported tothe Netherlands where they cant seem to get enough of it.


19/21



Eudald is fully aware that he has something special in this bottle. He also knows that the fact it existsis a bit of mystery, for this the wine is all the more magical, unexpected, and at its heart, embodiesthe reason that I fell in love with wine in the first place: the unexpected.

So I come back to the title of this post, this wine was varietally incorrect at least according to my wineexperience and yet quite tasty. In life, I look for the varietally incorrect wines, always hoping to findthe unexpected in my glass. I love to find the winemaker who is trying to push the envelop or revivethe lost varietal so as to find something new and create something fun. This is why this article scaresme. Evidently, they have mapped the genome of Pinot Noir. Claims are now being made that with thisnew knowledge, genetically enhanced PN could be produced to reduce the chance of rot or otherdiseases, thus lowering the cost of making wine from it. This scares me, because although they dontmention it, the truth is that the flavors could also be manipulated creating over time a wine that claimsto be Pinot Noir with twice the strawberries or double the fruit! My fear isnt that the wines will killme from mutant genes or that the wines will be crafted to meet market demand. What concerns me isthe loss of magic, and mystery, and the fun of not knowing what to expect. I know this is not what aproducer in the world market wants to hear. For them, knowing they will have a good product everyyear and that is will taste the same, is for them, safety and the promise of a steady paycheck. Cantblame emBut I dont have to like it.

So find yourself a varietally incorrect wine and let us know about it.

Content ArchiveHere is a list of all the stories we published this past month and a half that related to Cava. We hopethat you enjoy going back and browsing them when you have questions about this wonderfulbeverage.

The End of Port and the Beginning of Cava

Freixenet: Money Wasted or Money Well Spent

The Mainstay of Cava Wine: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello

Quiz: 10 Facts about Cava Wine

Bodega Profile: Freixenet

Portuguese Sparkling Wines Winter Announces the Traditional Calots and Cava Festival

Brut Versus Brut Nature: Where Ignorance is the Only Winner

Whats Under that Tinfoil Anyway: The History of the Cava Placa or Chapa

Yipes! Who Put that in my Spanish Cava

New Years Traditions in Spain: 12 Grapes in 12 Seconds

Dominio de la Vega - Cavas

Summer Sipn to Relieve the Heat and Spanish wines for the Grill!

Podcast #30 - Arte Mayor Cava from Dominio de la Vega

Podcast #23 - Birthday Cava and a New Grill

Cava Resources OnlineBesides Catavino, there is only one other resource that we are aware of that may help you learn moreabout Cava wine. Wed love to point you in more directions, but unfortunately, we havent found them.

D.O. Cava


20/21



Final Note

Over the month of December, weve had an incredible experience learning about the history, theculture, the winemaking practices and the various different styles of cava such as brut, brut natureand Rosado. Hopefully, youve enjoyed it as much as we have!

Throughout the month, we wrote about four different cava houses: Massana Noya, Freixenet,Raventos I Blanc and Heretat Mestres. While Freixenet is an internationally renowned cava house

exporting the lions share of cava out of Spain, the remaining three houses are independent, family-run wineries that aim to produce quality cava made in the most natural method possible.

We also chatted about one of the largest festivals in Catalonia, which takes place in January called, aCalotada. Attracting people from all over Catalonia who love to eat calots, which are similar to agreen onion, and grilled to the point of being sooty black, peeled to show their glowing white interiorand dipped in a traditional rich and thick Romesco sauce, containing dried mild red pepper, groundalmonds, roasted garlic and olive oil.Its sinfully delicious and highlyrecommended!

We snuck in an article hailing the

sparkling wines from Portugal. Andurged you to head across the borderto task some potentially unfamiliar butoutstanding Espumantes.

As for the newsletter, although weregetting slightly more efficient, wereconfident there are manyimprovements that need to be made. Ifthere is something you would like us tochange, write about or eliminate, let usknow, because we are always listening.

Finally, if youve found this newsletter to be interesting, a small donation would be very muchappreciated. This project is time consuming, but we honestly feel that it is a worthy addition toeverything else we provide on Catavino.net. Therefore, if you find this newsletter to be a useful tool,we would love the support so that we may both improve and expand future editions. Another option isto sponsor the newsletter. Send us an email at [email protected] if you are interested in learningmore.

Donate to Catavinos Newsletter Using Paypal - http://tinyurl.com/yt64zr Due to Paypals security features, please copy and paste the tiny url above into your browser window

Last but not least. We have a fully functioning and fully integrated forum setup at:

www.Catavino.net/forums. We know that weve gone through many incarnations of the forum and forthis, we are sorry. But if you want to discuss anything that we mentioned in this newsletter, pleasedont hesitate to sign up and join us. WE PROMISE NOT TO MOVE THEM ANY MORE. Granted,with so many social networks in this day and age, you dont really need another place to chat, but wedid think that you might have something to mention about the newsletter, and besides sending us anemail, wed love if you posted it in the forum.


21/21



The Fine Print

All Content is Copyright Catavino.net 2008. Permission to replicate or reuse any of the pictures,articles or tasting notes must first be approved by Catavino.net. No unauthorized reproduction of anycontent within this newsletter is allowed without prior written approval. Thanks for reading what wehope is a useful and value added part of our Website.

Catavino Tasting Policy

Catavino only recommends wines that we stand behind. Wines we think you should taste. Therefore,rather than using the purple dot or numerical system, we've changed to a "recommended" system

If a full note is on our site, it is considered "Recommended". In special cases, we'll include notes that state, "Seek this wine out" or "Exceptional". These indications

are only used when a wine goes above and beyond our expectations for its style. From time to time, we'll include notes on wines that are "interesting" but not really worth seeking out. In

these cases, the wines will have a reason to be mentioned, either because they are made from a "lostgrape variety" or fit a "unique style".

Once a month, we typically participate in Wine Blog Wednesday, and will always include our tastingnote regardless if we enjoyed the wine. However, we'll always be clear in our review if we recommend

this wine. Wines we rate on Social Tasting Note sites like Addega and Snooth WILL NOT always be

recommended on Catavino. For our personal growth, we attempt to take notes on every wine we try,using these sites for recording our tasting history. Therefore, we can always include the bad and thegood. We believe that by freely sharing our notes and not charging for them we are in the end helpingto grow the amount of information on the web about Iberian wines.

Special note for retailers We encourage you to use our notes for your shelf talkers and otherpromotional display. We only ask that you credit Catavino.net and when possible let us know you areusing our notes, by sending us an email or a picture!

Sponsor UsIn an effort to continue to bring you fine content like this, we are actively looking forsponsors for our newsletter and website. Email us at: [email protected] to findout how!

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