Name of wine:  El Cava - Chozas Carrascal.

Vinification:

Each variety is harvested and vinified separately. Grapes are harvested when coolest between 6 and 9 in the morning during the second half of August.
Oxygen-free cold skin maceration of each variety during 24 hours at low temperatures followed by the separation of the free-run juice from the press and a gentle racking (débourtage) of the must at low temperatures too. Once alcoholic fermentation has completed around 15-20% of the wine is aged for a couple of months in two year-old 220 litre French oak barrels. A process of stirring the fine lees in the barrels (batonnage) takes place twice per week.
In mid-December the Chardonnay and Macabeo are blended to produce the base wine for a cava with an alcohol content lower than 11.5%.
In January the liquer de tirage (a mixture of sugar and yeast added to induce a second fermentation to produce cava - sparkling wine) is added to the base wine which is then bottled immediately for the second fermentation in the bottle to take place.
After the bottles have been stacked for a minimum period of 15 months in an underground cellar, the disgorging process is performed without adding sugar. The result is our Cava Brut Nature Reserva.

Appellation: D.O. Cava
Grape varieties:Chardonnay and Macabeo

Tasting notes:

Appearance:  Brilliant and clear straw yellow colour with golden highlights. Fine and persistent perlage.
Nose:  Intense, fruity and delicate. Notes of apple, apricot and tropical fruit. Soft nuances of magnolias, toasted aromas and custard.
Palate: Fresh and full-bodied. Good structure, fine and well integrated perlage. Balanced acidity, persistent and elegant.

Recommendation:

To appreciate the full potential of this wine we recommend service it at a temperature of around 6-8° C.
This cava goes ideally with appetisers, starters and light meals given its structure, acidity and low residual sugar. It matches very well with white fish such as hake, sole, monkfish, cod, turbot, conger eel and sea bass. It also combines well with seafood in general, white meats, spicy cold meats, Iberian ham, sheep cheese and foie gras.

Wine glass used for tasting: Flute type.

Food and wine matching:

This wine goes beautifully with:

Oysters
Sushi
Green olives
Caviar
Vegetable tempura
Valencian “black” paella
Valencian “suquet de peix” (fish in sauce)
Lobster with capers and asparagus
Salmon in papillote
Cheese soufflé