Behind the Cork™ - Vilarnau Cava

Vilarnau Cava

These two wonderful Cavas are from Vilarnau in Spain. And now, they are 100% organic!

The winery is a small, artisanal, hand crafted Cava house located outside of Barcelona that dates back to 1949. Made in the traditional méthode champenoise, the Vilarnau bottles honor their Catalan roots with wrapping that reflects the beautiful avant-­garde imagery of Antoni Gaudí.

  • Vilarnau Brut Reserva NV ($14.99) This Brut Cava is made from three varietals: 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel.lo. They are each made separately. The first fermentation for each varietal takes place over 30 days before being blended. The second fermentation occurs the traditional way, in the bottle, where the yeast turns the wines in to Cava with its characteristic bubbles. It is classified as a "Reserva" because it was aged for more than 15 months in the bottle.

  • Vilarnau Brut Reserva Rosé NV ($15.99) This rosé Cava is produced from 85% Garnacha and 15% Pinot Noir. They are fermented separately in stainless steel tanks for 30 days. They are then blended and bottled to start the second fermentation which takes about six weeks. It then stays in contact with the yeast for at least 15 months in the bottle during the aging process which qualifies this Cava as a “Reserva.” It has delicate flavors of ripe strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. It’s smooth, creamy and refreshing. This bottle is always a strong favorite when served!

Vilarnau cavas are imported by González Byass USA and are distributed nationally, including being available on Wine.com. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by González Byass via Donna White Communications

Behind the Cork™ - Vilarnau Brut Reserva & Brut Reserva Rosé Cava

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Vilarnau Brut Reserva & Brut Reserva Rosé Cava ($14.99 each)

Cava is the sparkling wine of Spain and perfect for the holidays!

The Vilarnau Brut Reserva is made from the three base wines used to make Cava - Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. These wines are always made separately. The first fermentation takes place over 30 days followed by the blending. It then undergoes its second fermentation in the bottle.

The vilarnau Brut Reserva Rosé is made from Garnacha and Pinot Noir. These are also fermented separately, blended and undergo a second fermentation in the bottle.

Both of these delicious Cavas should be well chilled and go with most any foods. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this wine at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Rebekah Polster, Donna White Communications


Sparkling Wine - It Goes with Everything!

As we continue through the holiday season, the question of ‘which wine to buy?’ is constantly on our minds. And, the answer in any situation can always be ‘Sparkling wine!”

Yes, sparking wines are maybe the most versatile wines out there. For brunch, sparking wine is an obvious answer. If you are having an early evening hors d'oeuvre party featuring anything from popcorn to caviar, sparking wine is the answer. A steak, chicken, pork or seafood dinner - they all work with sparkling wines. And, yes, desserts go great with sparkling wines.

By the way, try serving your sparkling wine in a white wine glass. After all, it’s a white wine. And a standard white wine glass will allow you to enjoy the sparkling wine while also allowing you to experience all the wonderful aromas that a flute precludes.

So, whether you are splurging on the real-deal Champagne from France, or simply opening a bottle of Cava, Prosecco or any other sparkling wine, know that it will go with everything this holiday season, and all year long. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week

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Vilarnau Brut Reserva Cava NV ($15)

Vilarnau is a small artisanal handcrafted Cava house located just outside Barcelona Spain.

This Cava is made the traditional way with 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada and 15% Xarello. It is a dry Cava with soft fruity flavors. It is classified as a "Reserva" because it was aged for 15 months.

The bottle art honors the winery's Catalon roots with avant-garde imagery of Antoni Gaudi.

Vilarnau is one of several family-owned wineries of Gonzáles Byass. Established in 1835, their wineries span across most of the important wine producing regions of Spain.

This Vilarnau Brut Reserva Cava is a perfect bubbly for the any occassion and goes well with most any food or snack (works really well with popcorn!).

Give it a try. It's a really nice Cava and, as with all Behind the Cork™ - Wine of the Week features, a great value.