Breweries, Wine, and Cheese Lifestyle

The Grapevine: Bienvenido al Neuvo Cava

The hands of an unknown woman wearing a red dress holding a glass as she fills it with cava from a green glass bottle.

By Elspeth Brown

The first time I spent a substantial amount of time with my husband’s family was on New Year’s Eve—which might have been a mistake. I was trying to make a good impression and brought four bottles of Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne for everyone to toast at midnight. I opened each bottle, poured everyone a heaping glass and prepared for them to be impressed and sing my praises. They all took a sip, politely said thank you and proceeded to push their Champagne flutes away. I could not let all that beautiful Champagne go to waste, so I drank everyone’s glasses which, in hindsight, was a bad idea. I remember bits and pieces of that New Year’s Eve. I ended up making a lasting impression on my new family, but maybe not the one I was hoping for. I laid off bubbles for a while after that, but, fortunately, made my way back to my love affair with the delicate, effervescent wine that continues to excite my palate.

Since my New Year’s Eve debacle, I have found other beautiful gems of sparkling wine that can be just as exciting as a true Champagne. Corpinnat from Spain is my new obsession. Sparkling wine is an effervescent juice that has not been made in the Champagne region of France. In Spain it is called Cava. Cava is still the most well-known sparkling wine coming out of Spain, but Corpinnat is beginning to get all the acclaim.

Corpinnat is an up-and-coming Spanish sparkling wine that has emerged from fine producers who left the Cava DO (Denominación de Origen). It is produced in the Penedès region just south of Barcelona. The Association of Wine Producers and Growers Corpinnat was formed in 2015. Corpinnat means “the heart of Penedès.” As per the regulations set by the association, the producers must make wine from organic vineyards and the grapes must be hand harvested. There are currently nine producers making Corpinnat sparkling wine. The wines must be made in the Corpinnat territory, entirely vinified on the winery premises and aged for a minimum of 18 months and must contain a minimum of 90 percent indigenous grapes, like Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Malvasia.

Corpinnat encompasses all the flavor profiles of Cava, but goes the extra mile with tastes of apple, almond, brioche and cream, finishing round with crisp acidity and structure. Since there are currently only nine producers, you can be assured that those wineries are going above and beyond to produce the best possible product. Well-known winery Gramona ages its sparkling wine for 40 months, as opposed to the required 18 months. Torelló winery has been making wine since 1395 and all that expertise goes directly into each bottle. Its Brut Reserva has been aged for 48 months, producing a rich, delicate, subtle style of Corpinnat.

Whether you are pairing a bottle of bubbles with Tuesday night dinner, or need a special sparkling wine for a cheer, Corpinnat should be your new go-to sparkling wine! It is fresh, yeasty, complex and one of the closest alternatives to a Champagne without the Champagne price tag. Stock your wine cellar with these beauties and enjoy them during the upcoming holiday season.

Elspeth Brown is the owner of Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store, 10 C South Main Street in Weaverville. For more information, visit MaggieBsWine.com or call 828.645.1111.

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