Mont Marçal Cava Brut Reserva

Mont Marçal Cava Brut Reserva. Sparkling wine from Penedes, Spain. The classic Cava. Soft, rich and elegantly dry. Secondary fermentation in the bottle and 18 months of aging produce a subtly sparkling mousse. This Cava scored 87 points in the 2008 Robert Parker.

Macabeo: prefers a warm and dry climate (is susceptible to rot in a wet climate). Mainly grown in Northern Spain (where the grape is also called Viura). In warm regions the wines reach a higher alcohol content than in humid regions. Macabeo is round, fine and fruity in taste. Also used as a base for sparkling wines. In Rioja known as Viura and in France as Maccabeu.

Xarel-Lo. This grape used to cause a lot of trouble in Cava centers. The grape suffered from oxidation problems, giving the Cavas a strange root-like taste. Today this problem has been eradicated and he delivers the base, weight, power and alcohol that no Cava can do without. The Xarel-lo is indispensable in Spanish Cava. He adds the strength and the alcohol. One of the latest developments is a blend of Xarel-lo – Monastrell. This experiment was successfully applied by Freixenet, one of the leading Cava producers from Catalunya.

Parellada a white grape of good quality. Mainly used in Penedès in Northern Spain for sparkling wine. Contributes freshness and fruitiness. The parellada is often served together with the macabeo and xarel-lo mixed, and can also be mixed with chardonnay, and sauvignon blanc. Still wines are also made from it, which are light, fresh and softly floral and have good acidity and a low alcohol content (9-11%) for Spain. The grape is also found in the Costers del Serge wine region. Parellada wines should be drunk young.