Surprising aroma, strong and fruity, with very nice notes of flowers and honey. Good balance and fresh with pleasing persistence. Price: £10.56 Including VAT at 17.5%
DO Cava, formed in 1992, is concerned principally with ensuring that Spain's indigenous sparkling wines are made on the basis of second fermentation in bottle, and sanctions production in a bewildering number of regions.
Penedès is the Cava capital, producing 95% and Catalonia overall produces 98%, with the wines being made from the traditional grape mix of Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada.
The DO sets out rules for production including maximum yields (12,000 kilos per hectare) and ageing minimums. Non vintage wines have to be aged for a minimum of nine months and Vintage for a minimum of 3 years.
Cava may have in certain circles a reputation as a poor alternative to Champagne. But when produced well as by some producers, Parxet is a good example, the wines can have structure depth and finesse.More info ...
Long ageing in the bottle gives the nose complexity, elegance & richness. The palate is dry & soft, with a long, nutty finish.
One of the best! Price: £15.99 Including VAT at 17.5%
Parxet's cellars are located a short distance from Tiana, an attractive coastal town within the Alella DO whose origins and viticulture traditions date back to Roman times. Within this region grows a derivative of Xarel-lo called Pansa Blanca.
Production of Parxet Cava was pioneered by the enterprising Suñol family, who have been making still wines since the 18th Century. They built Parxet in 1920 specifically to make Cava, following the traditional "méthode Champenoise".
Tradition and history, together with excellent vineyards, and a consummate winemaker with a hi-tech winery at his disposal combine to produce an exemplary range of sparkling wines.
This Cava is predominately made from Pansa Blanca.
The Cuvee 21 is very pale with green hues, with very fine, persistent bubbles with a tendency to form a foam crown. The nose is full, fruity and intense.
The wine has a lovely soft acidity which conserves the primary bouquets of the varieties. Price: £9.99 Including VAT at 17.5%
The use of the traditional French varieties is modified by the presence of the Pansa Blanca.
The base wines are blended and matured in the cellars at Tiana for a minimum of two years with a touch of liquor, so light that this cava could legally be called Brut Nature (or Extra Brut), but which makes it more suitable for accompanying meals.
Again, very pale and fine. Delicate, characteristic nose in which the Pansa Blanca reveals the stamp of Alella.
It is full in the mouth, with personality and volume. Price: £12.49 Including VAT at 17.5%
Chardonnay has adapted well to the Alella region, and it is not surprising that the core (80 to 90%) of this wine should consist of the ripest and most rigorously selected fruit from 70 year old Chardonnay vines, the remaining 10% being composed of local varieties.
A manual harvest, whole grape pressing, fermentation at low temperatures and the possibility of malolactic fermentation are the principle characteristics of the preparation of the base wine. The product is stored in the old Parxet cellars at Tiana for a minimum of two years, until tasting reveals it to be at its best. Before releasing to the market, they disgorge without the addition of any liquor.
Decidedly mature and bright with a notably persistent mousse - as befits old vine Chardonnay. The aroma is complex with a plethora of unexpected, underlying nuances. On the palate it is rich, delicate yet sumptuous; intriguingly layered, mouth filling, yet agreeably subtle, with a pronounced but exquisitely balanced toastiness. Price: £17.50 Including VAT at 17.5%
Made entirely from Pinot Noir, an ideal variety for sparkling Rosé.
Whole-cluster pressed, the grapes undergo the briefest of macerations in order to achieve a delicate, pleasing colour. This is followed by prolonged cold fermentation.
Second fermentation and subsequent bottle ageing takes place in cool underground cellars, where the wine rests until the winemaker deems it ready for release.
A pale pink rosé with lustrous hints of clementine and overtones of grenadine. Attractively aromatic with elements of raspberry and fruits of the forest such as blackberries and bilberries. Rich, long, and flavoursome. Price: £16.99 Including VAT at 17.5%
Made with Monastrell and Chardonnay, ideal for the preparation of a rosé base wine for sweet cavas.
The grapes gathered by hand are pressed directly in order to obtain a light maceration that provides the characteristic colour and avoids the tannic taste that would result from a longer maceration. The wine is stored for a minimum of two years until fully mature.
The addition of sweet liquor softens out any edges that might occur due to the presence of grape tannin.
Pale pink and salmon with ruby glimmers at the bottom, very elegant. High formation and persistence of bead. Raspberry nose with bouquets of fruit of the forest. Full-bodied and very long in the mouth. Price: £14.81 Including VAT at 17.5%
