Community Review

Vilarnau Barcelona Brut Reserva Cava

Penedès D.O., Spain

Community Score: 4.5/5
Community Reviews: 4

Price: $15.95
Organic wine

Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 11.2%

Drink: Now

Bottle size: 750 ml
Winery: Vilarnau

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

It's the Bottle with the Trencadis Jacket. Before it's even opened, you hold a work of art in your hands! But first to the wine.

The traditional method means that the second fermentation of the grapes, as with champagne, is done in the bottle and not in a tank. Made with traditional cava grapes, Acabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada, grown near Barcelona, Catalonia, it's that location that makes for the trencadis connection. Several of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí's (1852–1926) greatest works can be found there, among them, the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, and Park Guell.

In this case, each grape variety is made into wine separately first and are blended for the second fermentation. Aged for 15 months or more in the bottle, it has 10 g/l residual sugar. It's a crispy cava, with a low 11.2% a.b.v. that makes it a perfect sipper.

It's an invigorating combination of pear, peach, and melon with notes of lemon and lemon pith to finish.

And what is trencadis? While using tiles to ornament a building's surface is an Arabic tradition, also used by the Moors in Southern Spain, Gaudí developed his own version. Trencadis involves breaking discarded ceramic objects (plates, tiles, etc.), to use the shards as tiles. The glorious result, photographed, is the imagery on this bottle's jacket.

Chill to 6-8 degrees Centigrade, sip, and pair with contemplation of Gaudí's works online or in a picture book.

Read Natalie's Full Review

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

SAVE MY SEAT!

Wine of the Week

As featured on

The Tragically Hip Red Wine
2021,
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario V.Q.A. ...

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 327,306 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources. learn more

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 327,306 strong:

Community Review