Freixenet Casa Sala 2005

Founded in 1914, this family wine group has become the undisputed leader in the cava industry and the world’s biggest producer of sparkling wines made by the traditional method, with 18 wineries in the most prestigious wine regions in the world.

Freixenet takes its name from Freixeneda, a 13th century property located in the Alt Penedes. It owns about 400 hectares of vineyards, maintains supply agreements with over 1,100 growers managed by their specialist advisors, and produces about 80 million bottles of cava, of which 80% is exported to over 140 countries worldwide.

Appearance

Pale yellow hue with golden highlights. Copious fine bubbles.

Nose

Aromas of ripe, fleshy white fruit infused with notes of white flowers and quince. Autolysis notes of bakery and “cabello de angel“ (pumpkin strands in syrup).  Herby backdrop.

Palate

Fresh, with perfectly smooth bubbles, good acidity and slightly bitter herb aromas. Citrus fruit on the palate. Retronasal toasty aromas.

Comment

This cava is Josep Ferrer Sala’s (Freixenet’s honorary president) tribute to his parents and to the style of their sparkling wines over 100 years ago.  It is a very special cava, produced using artesanal methods in the Masía de la Antigua Casa Sala, where 20,000 bottles are produced annually.  These are reproductions of the first bottles to be used in the Champagne region in the 18th century and they are dressed with a label which is a replica of the labels used on the first Catalan brut nature, produced by Freixenet in 1935.  Attention is paid to the tiniest of details: harvesting by hand, pressing in a 150 year old, wooden vertical press, fermentation using indigenous yeasts, and racking and handling of the wine by gravity flow, without the use of pumps.  The result is a very complex, creamy cava which is surprisingly lively and fresh.

Irresistible paired with oven-baked bass, served with potatoes.

Glass by RIEDEL, VINUM collection, CUVÉE PRESTIGE model.