I´m a champagne girl and always remember one of Coco Chanel´s aphorisms: “I only drink champagne on two occasions, when I am in love and when I am not”. My personal twist on this is that here in Cataluña we are big fans not only of champagne, but of locally produced cavas as well. My favourite are Raventós i Blanc Blanc de Blanc and Raventós i Blanc de Nit, and my husband always makes sure that we have enough in the fridge if guests unexpectedly come. For me it is always fun to learn about the person behind a great wine. And recently I made an unexpected discovery about the man behind my favourite sparkling – Pepe Raventós, winemaker in the 21st generation and current CEO of Raventós I Blanc, a farm owned by the same family for more than five centuries. Pepe Raventós impressed me with his 100% biodynamic philosophy of viticulture that brings together the land, the plants, the animals and the man, all combining and finally translating into a great wine. His love for this land is deep. We all know that the type of soil has a vital influence on the wine. The area where Raventós grapes are grown used to be a sea bottom and is still full of marine fossils. According to Pepe Raventós, the abundance of these fossils gives their sparkling wine its characteristic saline notes. Great to know this!
Cataluña is sometimes called “hidden Tuscany”, and its wines deserve special mention. Tell me which one is your favourite, and I will do my homework to surprise you. Or join me on numerous wine tours that we organize in the hotel! You won’t be disappointed!
Foto: Javier Luengo
