Spain > Catalonia > Penedes > Montanas Rocosas
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Catalonia, today an Autonomous Community within the Kingdom of Spain, has long been a bone of contention between Spain and France, and of course the native Catalans who have often wanted nothing to do with either of their larger neighbors. The region’s earliest settlements are lost in the mists of prehistory, while the modern city of Barcelona dates to Phoenecian roots, then conquest by the Romans c.15BC, the by the Visigoths c. 425AD, then by the Arabs c. 725AD, then by Charlemagne who established it as the capital of his “Spanish March” (border territory- cf Denmark, the “Danish March,” Austria (Ostmark, the “Eastern March”), etc, ruled by the newly-installed Count of Barcelona. The Medieval County evolved into. Principality of the Kingdom of Aragon, which was then (1469) merged into the United Kingdoms of Aragon & Castille, which over the next couple centuries evolved into the centralized monarchy of the Kingdom of Spain. After a disastrous war with France ending in 1659, the Catalan territories north of the Pyrenees were ceded to France, giving Spanish Catalonia its modern configuration.
Penedes
Penedes, a small district tucked along the Mediterranean in the southern part of Catalonia, has been an important wine centre for 2,500 years. With a coastal Mediterranean climate and soils of primarily mixed continental and marine sediments of Tertiary age atop Cretaceous limestone, it produces a range of whites, reds and rose wines. Today it is famed for its Cava, sparkling wine made in the classic Champagne method of secondary fermentation in the bottle. In the classic versions, the whites are made of a blend of Xarel-lo, Macabeu and Parallada, while rose Cava is typically made from Garnacha, Monastrell, and Trepat.
Cava
Both the word for “cellar” and the name of the wine, this term refers to sparkling wine made in the methodo traditionel. Until 2007, Cava was produced only within the Penedes DO. Since then, the designation has been expanded to include sparkling wines made in the methodo traditionel from Rioja, Valencia and other districts, although 95% of the Cava still originates in Penedes. For more information…
Penedes in southern Catalonia
Montanas Rocosas
About 50 years ago, some 500 small growers in the Penedes region pooled their efforts to found the regions most important cooperative, the Coop Vinicola d’Espana, Covides. Today the 600-member coop produces a range of wines from its members’ vineyards, including several lines of Cava. Montanas Rocasas is one of their most classic lines, made in the traditional method using only indigenous grape varieties and with a vineyard selection of their best fruit. Winemaker Maria Galup works to emphasize the fruit with relatively short lees contact after the secondary fermentation, about 9.5 g/l sweetness balanced with bright acidity and a year or so of bottle age before release for full character development.
The Wines
Montanas Rocasas Brut NV: 50% Xarel·lo, 35% Macabeu and 15% Parellada, aged 13 months in cava before release.
Pale-yellow color with golden hues, with good release of small bubbles. Very elegant and nice first impression, with fruity notes. The palate is fresh and with fruity and complex toasty notes due to the aging in bottle. It has good acidity and persistence. Well balanced and harmonious.
Montanas Rocosas Brut Rose NV: 100% Trepat, aged 12 months in cava before release.
Lively and bright, intense pink color. Good release of small bubbles that rise to form a distinct crown.
The first impression is pleasant and powerful, followed by aromas reminiscent of red berries.
It is clean and fruit-driven on the palate, with a good, long-lasting finish. This Rosé Brut is balanced, full of flavor, and finishes moderately dry..