Raventos I Blanc de Nit Rose 2013

Pepe & Manuel Raventos - Penedes

Raventos I had the chance to visit the property and taste with Pepe Raventós from Raventós iBlanc. He rejects the Cava appellation as it's a method and not a place and he wants origin as a first requirement. Josep 'Pepe' Raventós keeps working toward the creation of a new appellation in the historical banks of the Anoia River part of Penedès, where his idea would be to produce wines from local varieties worked organically, biodynamically if possible (they started a couple of years ago), with a minimum price paid for the grapes purchased form grape growers to create a sustainable business forthe zone and its people. All their wines are from single vintage and the sparkling ones are at most Extra-brut(max. five grams of sugar) and with a minimum of 18 month in contact with the lees. They source most of their grapes from their own estate in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia where they currently cultivate some 60 hectares from a total surface of 90. The oldest vines are planted on a north-facing slope they call Clos del Serral whose Xarello vines were planted are 80 years old. They release limited quantities of recently disgorged old vintages that are stunning, although prices for them are on the high side. Luis Gutierrez

Raventos I Blanc de Nit Rose 2013   The 2013 De Nit is a blend of the three classical white grapes from the region, Macabeo, Xarello, Parellada and a pinch (5%) of red Monastrell sourced from the historical Viña de la Plana. The wine had an average of 24 months in contact with the lees (18 for the first disgorgement and up to 30 for the last bottles before they finish the vintage and start with a new one). The color is extremely pale (it could even pass as a Blanc de Noir) and the nose is very similar to the 2013 L'Hereu, perhaps not as fine, with very nice, clean fruit. The palate might have a little more weight, with faint flower notes, very good acidity and a little bit of tannin coupled with acidity that gives it length and persistence and a distinct elegant rusticity. I'm not a great fan of pink sparkling wine in general, but I'm a fan of this one. This is a perfect aperitif wine. 180,000 bottles produced. 91 Points eRobertParker #219