Raventos i Blanc Blanc de Blancs 1497 2021 Penedes Catalunya

Fresh, biscuitty and with a lovely sourdough and green apple character, this is an excellent example of the quality potential for sparkling wine in Catalunya's Penedes region. A traditional blend of macabeo, xarel-lo, parellada and malvasia de Sitges, aged for 18 months and bottled as an extra brut with low dosage. Is it Cava? Technically not, because Pepe Raventos left the Cava DO to shape his wines around soil, vineyard and microclimate, rather than around labelling with the traditional categories of Reserva, Gran Reserva etc. Dynamic and visionary, his inspirations are the top champagnes of Selosse, Prevost, Agrapart, Larmandier-Bernier and Billecart Salmon to name a few. But it's not just an aspiration; his wines are must-try bottles for any lover of fine Champagne.