As many of you have likely experienced, there is a lot of bad Cava in the world. So much so, that the Raventos i Blanc family left the very denominacion they had helped create in the 19th century. While we can’t technically call this a Cava, it is actually the very best of the breed. Cava is simply Champagne method sparkling wine made using indigenous Spanish grapes, but with less stringent aging requirements which makes the wine an affordable part of daily life. 9 months of bottle aging on the lees is the same as for cremant in France while reserva has the same 15-month requirement as Champagne. It bears repeating that with a proper sparkling wine stopper a sparkling wine will perfectly preserve itself in the fridge for weeks so that there is absolutely no reason to not have sparkling wine ALL THE TIME. Not just for splurge-worthy occasions, but to celebrate that you’ve reached a resting point on a random Tuesday. The grapes for this wine come from the vineyards surrounding the family home and are farmed biodynamically. The blend of 48% Xarel.lo, 15% Macabeo, 32% Parellada & 5% Monastrell is vinified in stainless steel tanks followed by blending and secondary fermentation in the bottle where it is aged for a minimum of 18 months. The wine is Extra Brut, so it contains less than 6 grams, or 1.5 teaspoons, of sugar per liter. As for pairing, the answer is usually bubbles.