Every now and then, we get a super special, vintage wine that we can’t help but rave about. If you’re looking for something rare, unique or just unlike anything you’ve ever tasted, look no further than these featured wines!
2010 Pepe Raventós Mas del Serral
Catalunya, Spain
Producer
Northwest of Barcelona, in the Anoia Valley countryside, surrounded by the Sierra of Montserrat Mountains, is a distinguished family vineyard dating back five hundred years, where some of the finest, most innovative and most inspiring Spanish wines have been cultivated: the Raventós estate, one of the longest-documented viticultural family traditions in the world.
Following his family’s dream, Pepe Raventós, the 21st generation, joined with the aim to pursue excellence in every detail of the winery. Pepe’s own spirit of innovation and perfectionism inspired him to create a world-class sparkling wine unlike any other- one made distinct by its minerality.
In 2005, Pepe Raventós was observing a painting, “La Masia” by Joan Miró, in the National Gallery during a key time in his life when he was far from home. It became his dream to restore the Clos del Serral vineyard to its former origins: traditional agriculture based on the harmony between nature, animals and mankind and the evidence that, as Miró said, “to be universal you have to be radically local.” Having worked with world-renowned winemakers Pepe realized this small portion of the family vineyard was ideally suited to create an exceptional sparkling wine. The result is Mas del Serral, a premium sparkling wine prepared to claim its place alongside the world’s finest champagnes.
Mas del Serral is where the past and future meet; offering something lasting in the future but also working on it with the ways of yesteryear. Their aim is to express the maximum potential of the plot: austerity, Xarel·lo, salinity and minerality. Cultivated by strictly biodynamic means in highly calcareous soil rich with ancient fossilized marine organisms, and then given a generous 100 months on the lees, this is a serious sparkling for a meal. It is a wine defined by their soils, where you can experience the land, the air and even the mountains.
Vintage characteristics
High rainfall (700 L of water over the crop year) and a cool vintage (14.4 ° Celsius average), leading to very structured, acidic wines. It was a cool and extreme year, with an unforgettable snowfall on March 9. The spring was cool and rainy, and it was not until August that the heat arrived. On August 12, 30 litres of rain fell, which helped to replenish the soil’s water reserves. The harvest began on August 18 and, fortunately, they had a month without rain so practically all the grapes could be brought in. Grapes were hand-picked and manually selected grape by grape in the Mas del Serral garage. Overall, it was an excellent vintage with great potential for aging.
Winemaking
Co-planted Xarel·lo and Bastard Negre (a local biotype of Graciano), planted in 1954 on the Clos del Serral Single Vineyard
Biodynamic agriculture free of machinery — just animal (horse) and man)
Whole bunch, pneumatic press at low pressure
Fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless and cement tanks for 15 days
Aged 11 months in tank
Bottled August 31, 2011
Aged in bottle on lees for 100 months
Taste profile
Linear, taut and precise but also showing some toasty richness.
Steady stream of fine bubbles
Aromas: Pristine citrus fruit, fine herbal hints, intriguing minerality, zesty freshness.
Palate: Delicate texture; layered flavours linger on the palate. Toasty autolytic character that meshes well with the intense fruit.
Hints of honey and hazelnut on the finish
Aging
This wine, both sophisticated and subtle at the same time, has seen 12 years of age and is exceptional to drink now.
Price
We price this wine at $299.99
All photos from Mas del Serral.