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Tapas with Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava #WorldWineTravel

 

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For our February #WorldWineTravel event, Susannah Gold of Avvinare has invited us to explore Catalunya – Emporda, Alella, Pla de Bages, Penedès, Conca de Barbera, Priorat, Montsant and More. You can view her invitation here.

As you can tell from the event title, there is a lot going on with wine in Catalunya!

D.O. Penedès and Cava

Penedès is in northeastern Spain in Catalunya. Within the D.O. Penedès lies the D.O. Cava. Cava is one of those interesting regions that is actually larger than the demarcated D.O. It’s like the Tardis. While it originated in San Sadurní de Noya in Catalunya, Cava can be made outside the D.O. and still be called Cava. Aragon, Navarra, Rioja, Pais Vasco, Valencia, and Extremadura have specific demarcated areas which qualify for the D.O.

In a way it’s appropriate that Cava can be made outside the D.O. Unlike a lot of places of origin, the Cava name does not come from a specific place. It comes from the Spanish word cava which were the stone cellars in which the wine aged. Josep Raventós introduced this style of wine to Spain in the 1870s. He married into the Cordorníu family, whose brand still dominates Cava production today. Upon a return from France he said: “Hey, I learned this really cool way to make sparkling wine, we should give it a try.” Quite probably I’m paraphrasing a bit. Despite any historical liberties I may have taken there, Cava was and continues to be made in the traditional “Champagne” method.

Cava Production Regulations

While Cava can be made in a variety of locations across Spain, the production rules remain the same everything. For examples, wines must age on the lees for a minimum of nine months and reach a final alcohol level of no less than 10% and no more than 13%.

Changes approved in 2019 to the D.O. have created stricter production regulations. For example:

• Minimum time in cask for Reserva wine will increase from 15 to 18 months
• Maximum yield will be lowered from 12 to 10 metric tons per hectare (5.35 to 4.46 US tons per acre)
• All bottlings will be vintage or multi vintage dated
• All Cava Reservas and Gran Reservas will have to be organically farmed from vines of at least ten years of age

The changes also bring a much greater emphasis on zoning. This contrasts with the old system where the Cava DO can apply to almost all sparkling wine made in Spain.

If you want to learn even more about Cava, I suggest checking out the D.O. Cava website.

Cava Grapes and Wine Styles

The D.O. Cava includes nine approved grapes for making Cava including: Chardonnay, Subirat Parent (Malvasia), Pinot Noir, Trepat, Garnacha, and Monastrell. However, three grapes make up the majority of Cava production. Xarel·lo, Macabeu, and Parellada. In fact, Xarel·lo is the most widely planted variety in the DO Penedès with over 7,000 hectares under vine! As with any classic blend, each of the grapes brings something to the table. Xarel·lo offers a sold acid structure and earthy flavors. Parellada brings aromas of blossom and green apple and Macabeo honeyed, grapefruit notes.

Blanc de blancs Cava is probably the style we all see the most but it is offered also in rosé. Cava also comes in all the sweetness levels from: brut nature right on down to dulce and encompassing extra brut, brut, extra seco, seco, and semi seco.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava

The Segura Viudas Estate, or La Heredad, dates back to the 11th century. However, it would not become a grape-growing and wine producing estate until 800 years later. It began life as a watchtower, then a country house, then a church before settling into its current role. As much as la Heredad respects its past, so too does it respect the future. For that reason, Segura Viudas has a dedication to biodiversity and sustainability in its vineyard practices. For example, the winery uses wood from winter pruning to generate biomass with energy value that equals the annual consumption of heating oil used across the estate. They have also planted cover crops in the vineyards to promote a more balanced ecosystem.

Segura Viudas creates four Cavas but the only one I was able to get in Turkey is the Brut Reserva. While not vintage dated, I can tell you that it’s older than the new (above) regulations so little of what I discussed above applies to this wine! The base wine for this aged sobre lías (on the lees) for three months then another 15 months in the bottle after the second fermentation. 

Medium lemon in the glass with energetic bubbles. My first whiff was full of all those lees ageing! After the yeasty/bready aromas blew off notes of golden apple, tropical and stone fruit, citrus, and almond blossom revealed themselves. On the palate the wine was fresh and gave a very dry impression with medium plus acidity and small, tight, prickly bubbles balancing whatever residual sugar was left. As the mousse receded it left behind flavors of tropical fruit like mango and warm citrus. 

Very enjoyable on its own but I paired it with a small plate of tapas including: salted roasted almonds, Serrano ham, Manchego, goat milk gouda, lemon thyme jam, Chorizo-stuffed dates sautéed in bacon grease, and crispy smashed potatoes topped with garlic tarragon aioli and capers. The only thing the Cava really didn’t like was the dates as the Chorizo totally overwhelmed it. Everything else paired rather well. The Manchego highlighted the tropical fruit and the lemon thyme jam the citrus fruit flavors. The wine really loved the salty foods and cut through the creaminess of the aioli. 

Discover More Catalunya Wine!

Don’t forget to check out what the rest of the #WorldWineTravel group discovered about Calaunya! Join us on Twitter Saturday, February 27 at 11am EST as we discuss our wines and pairings. Just follow the #WorldWineTravel hashtag!

• Allison and Chris from Advinetures look at Cava: Spain’s Answer to Champagne.
• Andrea from The Quirky Cork enjoys Tapas with Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava.
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Pollo a la Catalana + Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat 2019.
• David from Cooking Chat shines with Mushroom Fricassee and Red Wine from Priorat.
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator brings Sparkling Wine Secrets: Catalonia Cava from Marqués de Cáceres with Spanish Chorizo Kale Bean Stew.
• Jeff from Food Wine Click looks at Exploring the Variety of Still Wines from Catalunya.
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass showcases Pere Mata Cupada Rosé Cava: Finesse in a Glass.
• Lynn from Savor the Harvest posts Beyond Cava: Loxarel and Gramona Organic Sparkling Wines.
• Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog waxes poetic about A Taste of Can Descregut; Grower Spanish Sparkling Wine From The Corazón del Penedès.
• Melanie from Wining With Mel muses about Innovative Winemaking in Catalunya’s Penedès: Torres Gran Coronas Reserva.
• Nicole from Somm’s Table pens On a Hilltop in Priorat.
• Payal from Keep The Peas joins with Bartender’s Choice from Priorat.
• Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles focused on Priorat DOQ in Spain’s Cataluña Region and Franck Massard’s 2015 Humilitat.
• Steve from Children of the Grape describes Cava by the Sea.
• Susannah from Avvinare thinks about Two Key Areas in Catalonia Wine Scene: Cava and Priorat.
• Terri from Our Good Life dished about Chicken Empanadas and Azimut Cava.
• Wendy from A Day in the Life on The Farm adds Enjoying Tapas with Spanish Wines from Catalonia.