From Cava to Carneros…

So far this blog has not written about a 'grocery store' brand. Not that we don't sell grocery store brands or that we do not like them at The Wine Warehouse, but it is rare that one of these grocery brands truly offers a real value or ties into wines of tremendous character. Let's look at the a few of the wines that exist under the Freixenet umbrella. Freixenet is the largest exporter of Cava in the world. Domestically in Spain they are only #2 as they have always had an eye on and a keen marketing sense for their export markets. The Freixenet brand was born at the beginning of the 20th century when Pedro Ferrer Bosch and his wife Dolores Sala Vivé decided to concentrate on sparkling wines. The company was named after an estate in Penedes, which had been in Pedro Ferrer's family since the 13th century, known as La Freixeneda, meaning a plantation of ash trees. Freixenet in Spain also now owns Segura Viudas , Castellblanch , Conde de Caralt, Canals & Nubiola, and René Barbier. The combined production of these six operations is nearing 100 million bottles per year. Best-known brands are the medium dry Carta Nevada, launched in 1951 and now in a frosted bottle, and Cordon Negro, a brut Cava in its distinct black bottle. Freixenet have taken their interests overseas and are now proprietors of the Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Caves in the Carneros district of California; a 124-acre estate in Mexico where the sparkling brand is called Sala Vivé; and ownership of the Champagne house Henri Abelé. All three of these purchases took place during the 1980s when Frexienet was making a splash worldwide with its innovative packaging and good value offerings.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: The term Cava was adapted by the Spanish in 1970 when they agreed to abandon the use of the potentially misleading term Champana. Unlike any other Spanish DO, the Cava denominacion is not restricted to a single area. However, since Spain joined the EU in 1986, the EU authorities have insisted that Cava should be made from grapes grown in prescribed regions. 95% of all Cava is made in Catalonia but can also come from a list of municipalities in Valencia, Aragon, Navarra, Rioja and the Basque country. Macabeo typically comprises half of a Cava blend with Xarel-lo and Parellada making up the traditional blend. Plantings of the French vine Chardonnay, officially authorized for Cava in 1986, are increasing rapidly. (Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine)

From the Cava designation in Spain, Cordon Negro Brut is made in a dry style, produced from 40% Parellada, 35% Macabeo, and 25% Xarello grapes. An extremely fresh Cava, light and lively with toasty, lemon and cream flavors and a clean finish. We have a killer price on this sparkler that is less than we used to sell it for in 1980. Go back a few blogs and compute the cpi price of this wine at just over two 1980 dollars. I’d say that it is quite a value.

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $5.99

In 1982 the Ferrer family purchased 250 acres of land in Sonoma’s Carneros wine district where they planted vineyards with the traditional sparkling wine grapes of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In 1986 their state-of-the-art winery, with Spanish-style architecture opened to the public. The winery now cultivates 385 acres in Carneros and produces a range of sparkling and still wines. A visit to the winery reveals the Old World influences of arches, red-tile rooftops, tapestries and antiques. A tour of the facility with it state-of-the-art man-made caves will unlock the secrets of the classic méthode champenoise process. Of course in Europe and in Cava they have to call this ‘Methode Traditionelle.’

The Sonoma Brut is produced entirely from hand-harvested Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Over forty different clonal selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are planted. It is this viticultural diversity that Gloria Ferrer feels allows them to consistently produce cuvées with complexity and clear fruit expression. The Brut is dominated by Pinot Noir, a stylistic decision enabling the complex aromatic and palate profile that this red-skinned grape contributes to Brut cuvées.

In the production department the grapes for the sparkling wines are whole cluster pressed to minimize the extraction of bitter components, around one-quarter of the first press is used to add richness and structure to the base wine, twenty different base wines make up the blend for complexity, a proprietary yeast is used for the second fermentation and the wine spends a year and a half on its yeast lees. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle.

"A delicious mouthful of bubbly. Smooth, rich and creamy, with layers of black cherry, vanilla, ginger and a hint of lemon drop. Finishes with a long, refreshing aftertaste with mineral and fruit. Drink now." 90 points, Wine Spectator

Gloria Ferrer Carneros Brut n/v, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $11.99

In Gloria Ferrer’s Blanc de Noirs, just over five percent of the blend is cold-soaked Pinot Noir juice (vin gris) which is blended in to the base wine for color and to add creamy notes to the finish. The rest of the winemaking process is similar to the Gloria Ferrer Brut.

"A delicate style, with fresh rose petal, strawberry and cherry scents that carry over to the palate. Clean and refreshing." 87 points and top value selection, Wine Spectator.

“Bright copper hue. Attractive bouquet of sliced apple, honey and citrus scents. Full, rich flavors of apple, banana and pecan. Lasting fruit impressions with a like of butternut and honey in the finish.”90 points and best value selection, The Wine News.

Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Brut n/v, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $11.99

On the Gloria Ferrer estate in Carneros, they have eleven soil types and a wide variety of clones (Colmar, Wadenswil, Trefethen, Dijon 115, Martini, UCD 32, Pommard and Jackson) that in combination with the daily fog, cool breezes and wind, produce exceptional Pinot Noir.

The 2004 vintage began with a cold wet spring, which initially delayed vine development. While there were a few significant heat spikes during the summer months, the cooling trend persisted, providing a long hang time and even maturation for the grapes. September arrived with high temperatures, which promoted good color and flavor maturity. This Pinot Noir is 100% estate grown, cold-soaked for three days for color and aromas, only free-run juice was used, was punched down and pumped over depending on the fruit character of the cuvee, aged in 100% French barrels of which 1/3 were new. The wine was unfined, but filtered.

There are flavors of ripe cherry and berry fruit with hints of smoke, bacon and earth that lead to long silky finish on this Pinot Noir. This Pinot is 'the bomb' at a very friendly price.

Gloria Ferrer ‘Carneros’ Pinot Noir 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $17.99

Salute,

Senor Bloggy