While Wide Roots has had an emphasis on Italian wines in the early part of our journey, we are also excited to bring on a producer from Catalunya, in Spain, and their excellent Cava.
Since 1970, Cellar Jan Vidal has been producing high quality Cava and is now in the 3rd generation of the family. Those decades of experience, and selection of the finest grapes from their harvests, are evident in their Honor line of Cava. The vines and winery are located in the Cava region and the heart of Penedés, not far from Barcelona.
Cava is an exciting category. Made by the Traditional Method–the same as Champagne–Cava is a much more affordable option. In addition to the crisp fruit notes that are typical in a sparkling wine, a traditional method sparkler will get its carbonation through a second fermentation in the bottle. The wine is aged on the yeast from this second fermentation, usually for at least a year, and this can add complexity with bread and sometimes brioche notes.
Jan Vidal’s Brut Cava Selecció is a dry sparkling wine, produced by the typical Cava grapes Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. The fruit characters are very crisp, making this a good aperitif.
Cava pairs excellently with seafood and oysters, and can also accompany appetizers and cheeses. The carbonation in cava makes it particularly food friendly, as the bubbles can scrub fat and allow for more of the wine’s flavors to be evident. This trait makes it particularly good for fried foods.
Staci and I are excited to taste this live on Instagram on Wednesday, 30 June at 5 pm US ET on Instagram! Join us, and grab a bottle of Jan Vidal or another Cava. If you want to know where to find this in Maryland, drop us a note.