Avinyó, 2019 Cava Brut Reserva
People
The Esteve family first built their farmhouse in 1597, and has continuously farmed their land ever since. However, in the late 19th century, phylloxera devastated the Spanish countrysides, and the Esteves did not escape that fate. Having gone bankrupt, Joan Esteve Marcè traveled to France in 1889 to bring back phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, intent upon refocusing the family’s farmland toward quality grapes. His son, Joan Esteve Nadal, brought the first tractor to their property in 1957, and then went to France to study Champagne production. Avinyó produced their first Cava in 1977 from the traditional grapes of Penedès, and the family has continued the tradition ever since. They very intentionally eschew the conventional farming practices that dominate large-scale Cava production, as they want their grapes to maintain the highest levels of quality, capable of expressing the terroir that gives birth to Cava.
Place
Can Fontanals, one of the three estates owned by Avinyó, sits on land upon which the Phoenicians made wine 2,800 years ago, as evidenced by archaeological records. Sitting on the Mediterranean, the vineyards of Can Fontanals grow Xarel-lo, Macabeo, and Parellada, the three traditional grapes that go into this Cava. Vines are planted between 250 and 275 meters above sea level, on soils of sandy loam and calcareous clay, which are wonderful for producing fruit-forward wines.
Palate
Green fruit, citrus, and a touch of earthy minerality define this Cava. Like many traditional Cavas, it pairs especially well with shellfish and seafood, and serves wonderfully as an apertif to accompany cheeses and appetizers.
Technical Notes
60% Macabeo, 25% Xarel-lo, and 15% Parellada, from vines planted between 1947 and 2017. Practicing organic. Fermented in stainless steel by indigenous yeasts, and aged 18-24 months on lees, following secondary fermentation in the bottle. Organic and vegan. 12 % abv.
