Pere Ventura Gran Vintage 2014, new ‘Cava de Paraje Calificado’ in DO Cava

Pere Ventura Gran Vintage 2014 has obtained the category “Cava de Paraje Calificado”, the highest quality distinction for premium cavas in DO Cava based on the singularity of its landscape of origin and the high standards of the production process. The Can Bas Paraje Calificado in Subirats (Penedès), adds to unique terroir its history, a sum of more than 2700 years of viticulture in the Estate. For Pere Ventura, founder and single owner of Pere Ventura Family Wine Estates, “the obtention of the Cava de Paraje Category highlights our commitment towards excellence, the consumer and the landscape, which we inherit and are responsible to preserve and enhance with our wines and cavas”.

As the official definition states, this is a cava made of a wine produced with grapes from a certain location whose edaphic and weather conditions, along with certain criteria regarding the quality of the production process, have contributed to the development of a cava with singular qualities.

Being a historical site, Can Bas is named after the place name of its location, as for the ‘Can Bas’ manor house since the 17th century. The name also designates the Estate, where the ‘Paraje’ or landscape is located.  Pere Ventura Gran Vintage is a vintage cava, only produced those years in which the grapes have a high quality (organoleptic and sanitary) and the base wine is a sincere interpretation of the year, an expresion of the terroir and its positive features. The singular identity of this cava is determined by its origin, the set of variables -climatology, geomorphology, soil science and biota- that determine the grape’s expression.

Pere Ventura Gran Vintage is part of the Vintage Collection, “grans reserves” of exceptional years. It is a blending of Macabeu and Xarel·lo from five plots of old vines that integrate the Paraje Calificado Can Bas: Migjorn and Mirador, of Xarel·lo vines; and Anciana, Secreta and Oreneta, all three of Macabeu. This vineyards are organically harvested under sustainable criteria. The best grapes are hand selected and vinified separately, using indigenous yeasts. The ageing in bottle is above sixty months, bringing a unique cava of distinct personality due to its origin and rich palate, perfectly balanced in acidity, alcohol content and carbonic.

Actually vintage 2012 is on sale with an ageing of more than sixty months. The Gran Vintage 2014 will be available at the end of the year, when it will reach its optimal character for disgorging.

A singular landscape with a strong historic link

The identity of this wine domain has been shaped by history. Archaeological findings, documentary evidence, art and landscape itself, are a prove of it and have enabled us to learn about the history of this domain, strongly linked to vineculture and wine, but of Catalunya as a whole too. The works undergone in Can Bas by the prestigious local archaeologist Pere Giró made it possible to locate prehistòric remains, an iberian archaelogical site and a roman villa, all of which framed the Via Augusta, one of the most important trams in the Empire. Also, exceptional evidence from the Middle Age like the romanic chappel of Sant Joan Salerm, and documents that refer to the evolution of the wine domain since the 15th Century until our days.

Pere Ventura acquired Can Bas in 2011 under the commitment of preserving the Estate’s heritage, recovering and putting in value its hystoric memory through terroir cavas and wines of strong identity. The acquisition of the property follows the Group’s strategic line to produce estate wines and cavas that represent a landscape bond to its history. Since for Pere Ventura “heritage is not only what you receive but also, and truly, that which you share are are able to bequeath” as a social and històric responsability. Pere Ventura understands that vineyard and wine have to answer to the demand of the present time. Thus, in this direction, focuses on making excellence the standard of the brand’s terroir wines and cavas, and conveys that recognition and respect towards the farmer’s work has to rule in order to guarantee landscape preservation, and the highest standards in viticulture and wines.

Edaphic and microclimatic singular conditions

The Can Bas Paraje is characterized by a mild mediterranean climate, common of the litoral and south prelitoral zones in Catalunya.

In general terms, the soils of the Paraje or plot, as in the rest of the Estate, are moderately deep (40 – 80 cm) to very deep (>120cm) medium texture soils, loamy, with a low content in organic matter and moderately high levels of carbonated materials. They have a basic pH.

Wine training of the vines is in Gobelet, except for the Mirador vineyard, where the Double Cordón Royat method is also used.

All the vineyards of PERE VENTURA’s estate, including the plots of the Paraje, are managed according organic performance standards and are under the guarantee of the Consell Català de la Producció Agrícola Ecològica (CCPAE). Actually in conversion to eco, 2017 is the first vintage to be commercialized with the official seal on the label.

Harvest and elaboration

The harvest in PERE VENTURA Estates is done manually, with the grapes being selected on the vine. The proximity of the winery means the grapes can be taken there straight away quickly and safely. Since 2016, all grapes stay 24 hours in the cold chamber before being processed in the cellar.

Grapes are selected again by hand on table and are pressed without being disteemed. A low-pressure press is used and the first high-quality must is used to make our base wines for our premius cavas, the Caves Gran Reserva (55 and 60 per cent of the must is obtained during the first pressing). Each variety is vinified separately.

We use static racking to clean the must, at a low temperature in inox tanks, inert to minimize oxidation.

The fermentation always takes place in inox tanks of 5,000 o 10,000 liters of capacity at a controlled temperature of 15ºC.

Alcoholic fermentation is spontaneous by indigenous yeasts, which combined with low temperatures produce longer fermentations than usual. The indigeneous yeasts also give a higher degree of complexity to the base wines.

Ageing and disgorging

Pere Ventura Gran Vintage Gran Reserva Brut has a mínimum ageing of 42 months. The date of bottling for this 2014 vintage is April the 30th, 2015.
It is a Brut cava, having an analytical residual sugar of 4,5 g/l.

TASTING NOTES

Taste of the base wine 2014

Spontaneous fermentation by indigenous yeasts gives a base wine of singular character. Although during a first phase (from October to November) it shows a high tendency to reduction, then it begins to open and develop its potential. Its mature character is present in all phases.

Rusticity, intensity and aromatics are searched for in the blending. Xarel·lo from Can Bas is predominant and excels due to the complexity of its acid aromas and structure. On nose the wine releases herbal and aniseed notes, such as hints of a fennel and dry grass. On the palate it is intense and tasty, medium to full body, giving notes of peach, and reveals a malic acidity that vivifies the blending. The Macabeu from Can Bas is very varietal on nose, giving hints of mellow fruit of yellow apple and citrus. On the palate, the Macabeu is an aged wine, with high acidity, that gives instensity to the blending. For the 2014 vintage the Macabeu es was specially fresh in character.

Cava Tasting

The 2014 Vintage is actually ageing and will be ready for disgorging at the end of 2018. Thus we can suggest a tasting note of the finished cava from the base wine and the experience of the previous, all from the same origin and under the same production process.

Appearance: bright golden hue with amber glints. Endless, fine beads, ascending with delicate effervescence to form a perfect crown.

On the nose it is very aromatically elegant, clean, fruity and cítric with a dash of lemon zest as well as lime and mandarin. A symphony of varietal aromas, subtle and yet clearly marking out its Macabeo grape variety characteristics.

On the palate: rich and generous with a delicious and refined bouquet, where silky notes are perfectly combined with a balanced, crisp acidity. It is mouth-filling, creamy and with a hint of baked apple. This is a lively cava, mouth-watering and full, qualities afforded by fermenting it spontaneously with its own indigenous yeasts. A unique cava of distinct personality due to its origin and rich palate, perfectly balanced in acidity, alcohol content and carbonic.

PERE VENTURA FAMILY WINE ESTATES and specially the PERE VENTURA brand, has a solid track record in the International market, with a strong presence in more than fifty countries. PERE VENTURA is the leading brand in the medium- premium segment worldwide. The highest qualifications in the IFS, BRC and ISO 22.000 support it, as for the numerous awards and recognitions obtained durin its 25 years.

PERE VENTURA cavas are positioned in the medium-premium segment. The Cava de Paraje Calificado Gran Vintage is part of the VINTAGE Collection, vintage grans reserves (long ageings), born under the commitment and the necessary instruments to position in the Premium and Super Premium segments. With an impecable presentation and a strong brand image, the design of the bottles is unique and customized, and are served in a case.