Wine #1: Biutiful Cava
Cava, Spain’s answer to Champagne, is the perfect cost effective swap for those of us with caviar dreams on tuna fish budgets. Made in Catalonia, a region in Northeastern Spain whose independence has been a long running referendum issue, this style of wine dates back to the late nineteenth century when Josep Raventos returned from a stay in Champagne where he had become completely enamoured with sparkling wine and the traditional process of making it. This interest in the bubbly side of wine changed the industry forever, the Raventos family worked to establish a DO (Denominación de Origen; similar to a DOC in Italy or AOC in France). The timing of this newfound passion was exceptionally serendipitous as phylloxera had hit Champagne with a mighty force and Spain had the opportunity to fill a void within the market, afterall how can you punctuate life’s big moments without raising a glass of bubbly?
There are three native grapes allowed to be blended into Cava; Xarello, Paralleda, and Macabeo. Macabeo is known for its floral aromas and notes of lemon, while Xarello is best known for its richer aromatics and ability to age, and Paralleda is known for its biting acidity and zesty flavours. Other grapes that are allowed in the blend are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnacha, Monastrell and Subirat (a grape loosely related to Malvasia).
As Cava was inspired by Champagne, it is made in the ancestral method. Harvesting the grapes for these wines will typically happen a little earlier than normal so that the grapes have a lower sugar content and will have more intense acidity. The first fermentation process begins the same way as any wine, grapes are destemmed and skinned before being pressed for their juices. The natural sugars in the juice are converted to alcohol and the resulting carbon dioxide is allowed to escape. This base wine is oftentimes unpleasant to drink because of its acidity. After the primary fermentation the wine is blended and bottled, ready for its second fermentation. The bottles of wine are then topped with small amounts of sugar and yeast as well as little more of the still champagne wine and then are capped with a crown cap. Through this secondary fermentation process, the carbon dioxide becomes trapped in the bottle and thus the wine in turn becomes carbonated.
The next step is disgorgement where the cap is popped and lees are carefully removed. After disgorgement, the wine is topped up with a little bit of sugar (called liqueur d'expédition) and the bottles are corked. The sweetness of the final wine is dependent on the sugar levels in the liqueur d'expédition. This process is called dosage.
This Cava is made of 80% Macabeo and 20% Chardonnay, with both varietals being vinifed separately in stainless steel before blending. This zero dosage wine is aged on its lees for a minimum of 12 months (and a maximum of 28 months) and is the brainchild of Isaac Fernandez, one of Spain’s most acclaimed winemakers, and Aurelio Cabestrero, a Spanish entrepreneur who is set on bringing Spanish wines to the forefront of the mind of North American consumers.
Wine #2: Fiol Prosecco
Prosecco, or Pro-say-ka if you’re my 91 year old Jewish grandmother, is a sparkling wine region in northeastern Italy. Named for the former town of Prosecco, which has since been amalgamated into the city of Trieste, this large region is spread over several provinces; most notably Veneto and Friuli. Though colloquially known as Prosecco, the major varietal that this scrumptious sparkler is made of is called Glera, a grape known for its aromas of peach, melon, and white flowers.To be called Prosecco, a wine must be made of 85% Glera.
Unlike Champagne and Cava, the process of making Prosecco occurs entirely in tanks, this process is cheaper than the traditional method as there is less labour involved, it is also a quicker process as the need for a significant amount of lees aging in bottles is eliminated. Similarly to the traditional method, a base wine is fermented until dry in stainless steel. That wine is then added to large stainless steel pressure tanks where the secondary fermentation occurs. That base wine is topped up with yeast and sugar and sealed and the temperature is raised to trigger the fermentation process. The wine is cooled when the desired pressure is reached and rapid fermentation is ended. This method is employed not only as a time and money saver, but also because it allows the retention of Glera’s perfume and freshness.
Fiol is a chosen family operation run by best friends Giovanni, Gian Luca, and Pietro, Venetian natives who despite ending up in far reaching parts of the world found themselves in the hospitality business. Upon returning to their native Italy, they took it upon themselves to establish a winery where they could make quality sparkling wine for every occasion. Their website boasts countless cocktail recipes and this wine is perfect for shoppers looking for a topper for their weekend spritzes.
