From: Conca del Riu Anoia, Penedès, Catalonia, Spain
Varietals: 50% Xarel.lo, 45% Macabeo, 12% Parellada, 3% Malvasia de Sitge
Tasting Notes: A structured, fresh and complex wine with marked aromas of fresh citrus, white peach, a hint of white flower, and a sea-swept, saline minerality. Each sip also contains a touch of Mediterranean herbal flair-meets savory Spanish toast bread. The small, nicely-integrated bubbles and saline qualities are in perfect harmony.
Critical Acclaim: “A steady stream of bubbles rises from the glass, releasing aromas of rising bread dough, slivered almonds and bergamot. Brilliant citrus and peach flavors are joined by notes of vanilla, honeysuckle and brioche alongside shimmering acidity that lingers on the palate.” —Wine Enthusiast, 93 points
“Fresh and elegant white fruit and brioche aromas with a chalky, minerally touch. Nicely generous on the palate, with delineated, frothy beads and a bright finish. Medium-bodied with a linear, medium-long finish, where some subtle seashell notes loom at the end. From organically grown grapes.” —James Suckling, 91 points
“Fresh and focused, with a lacy texture, this is a minerally version overall, showing hints of smoke and stone on the nose, plus a salty underpinning to the palate's range of tangerine, ripe yellow plum, blanched almond and chamomile. Xarel-lo, Macabeu, Parellada and Malvasia de Sitges. Disgorged March 2023.” —Wine Spectator, 90 points
Pairing: Like upper-tiered cavas, this wine has great pairing potential with a host of foods. Follow your heart when it comes to your favorite shellfish and/or fish recipe; this wine will be great with anything from a simple meal of sardines on toast to a full-blown paella party. It would also be delicious alongside fresh salads, grilled veggies, Pisto (Spanish vegetable stew), or white meat dishes centered around Mediterranean herbs. Today, we’re sharing a recipe for Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish-Style Garlic Shrimp) by J. Kenji López-Alt.
About. The Raventós i Blanc estate, which encompasses 90 hectares of woodlands and vineyards in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia (in the northeastern part of Penèdes), has a documented history of wine growing that dates back to 1497. In fact, it was a member of the Raventós family, Josep Raventós Fatjó, who made Spain's first traditional method sparkling wine in 1872 after a visit to Champagne. In 1986, on the family estate, Josep-Maria Raventós I Blanc founded the winery as we know it today with a singular focus on achieving the highest quality wines.
Today, the father and son team of Manuel and Pepe Raventós (Josep-Maria’s son and grandson, respectively) work side by side, continuing the prestigious lineage of this remarkable estate. Pepe Raventós is a dynamic and forward-thinking man who honed his expertise with internships alongside the late, great Didier Dageneau in the Loire and Domaine Hubert Lamy in Burgundy, before returning to the family domaine to produce exceptional sparkling wines from their biodynamic, fossil-rich terroir.
In December 2012, Raventós i Blanc took an important step in its evolution, leaving the Cava DO and creating a new designation: Conca del Riu Anoia. This small geographical area conveys strict viticultural traditions, the strength of the land, the unique, indigenous grape varieties and the characteristics of the soils. The estate operates as an agricultural organism where compost is the central component around which all the natural elements that make it possible revolve.
