For all your small, safe celebrations this month, we suggest a budget-friendly sparkling wine from an outstanding producer Raventós i Blanc de Blancs. Like many of our favorite sparklers, this Spanish offering is a low 12% alcohol by volume, better for a small gathering, or even a solo diner in a time when we have to keep our heads clear.
Raventós i Blanc de Nit Took Us to Spain for Our February 1st Toast this year.
When shopping for last month's wine, we discovered another wine from this winemaker. Pepe Raventós represents the 21st generation of his family at a vineyard in operation since 1497.
Since this is our year of terroir, we added a couple of bottles to our delivery and look forward to tasting it today.
While this Blanc de Blanc is new to us, we have a feeling we'll like it because two of our favorite wine mentors, Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli from Alcove and Michael Serpa from Select Oyster Bar, Grand Tour, and Atlantico are both fans of this winemaker and vineyard.
We'll let the folks at Raventos tell you about the terroir of their vineyard where this wine begins:
"The Vinya del Llac is a vineyard that faces north. The clay soils release water slowly throughout the vegetative cycle and, deep beneath the surface, we find calcareous bedrock with incrusted pebbles, which limit the water reserve, giving the grapes in this flagship plot more structure. The influence of the lake in this symbolic vineyard moderates the climatic conditions, avoids heatwaves and favours long ripening. It is a Blanc de Blancs due to its three native white grape varieties: Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada."
We found tasting notes on the wine here:
"The Blanc de Blancs 2016 of Raventos i Blanc shows off a bright straw yellow color in the glass with a stream of fine bubbles flowing continuously to the top. In the glass, this Spanish sparkling wine displays a complex blend of white fruits (peaches and apricots) with Mediterranean herbs, dried fruits and hints of citrus. On the palate, this wine reveals itself to be very powerful and full of flavor, with the carbonation expertly integrated and beautifully balanced."
Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!
We purchase our bottle at Gordon's Wine for ~$23.00
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino
