Haute Wines – Caves Llopart, Spain’s “Prestige Cuvee” Cava

The words “good” and “cava” generally do not fall in the same sentence. If they do, it is probably in the form of irony. Today’s vinous venture explores Caves Llopart, one of Penedes’s premier cava producers, where the words “great” and “cava” marry harmoniously. With wine making history extending all the way back to 1385, it is no wonder this house creates some of the most interesting and compelling sparkling wine in the area.

With mass-produced Freixenet and Cordoniu cavas saturating the American market, Caves Llopart refreshes it with its prestige cuvées. The vineyard has been in existence since 1385 and the winery was established in 1887. Early on, Jaume Llopart i Jorba and his son, Josep Llopart i Massana, set their sights on improving the estate and maximizing the expression of their wines; they added chardonnay and pinot noir to the mix in hopes of crafting the ultimate Spanish sparkler. In the 1950s, Pere Llopart i Vilaros took it a step further and introduced vintage, “craft cavas” thereby converting Caves Llopart into one of Pènedes’s premier cava houses and an eminent “expression of land and  vine essence.”

Cava comes from the Latin word cave and, unlike other DOC, AOC or DOCG denominations, Cava represents a style of wine rather than a geographic region. Although it is produced throughout Spain, approximately 95% of it originates from the Catalonia region of northwest section of Spain; the remaining come from Aragón, Castilla and León, Valencia, Extremadura, Navarra, Basque Country and Rioja. Cava is sparkling wine always produced in the methode traditionelle, and predominantly from the parellada, macabeo (aka.viura) and xarello grapes. It normally presents itself as a light, crisp quaffing wine; Llopart has zero in common with  this stereotype.

Haute Wines tips its flute to Caves Llopart for taking cava a step beyond its tradition and then some. Salud!

Llopart, Brut Rosé, Pènedes, Spain, 2007 – Caves Llopart impresses with its Brut Rosé rendition. A blend of monastrell, garnacha and pinot noir, its beautiful perfume of freshly muddled strawberries, cranberries and pomegranates is inviting and seducing while the palate shows the same flavors along with an added complexity of minerality, strawberry shortcake creaminess and light rose petal undertones. The texture is rich and round; the acidity – racy.

Please note some wines are very limited in production and therefore may be difficult to find. If interested in acquiring, tweet me @epicuriouschic and I will be happy to help you source the wine.