Wine of the Day - Cava LLopart Brut Nature Gran Reserva Leopardi, 2000

Here we have a winery that has been producing wines since the 1880s, or so. This is a delicious wine with subtle style that may throw off those looking for a more powerful expression in sparkling wine. Part of the style is due to the fact that the wine I was tasting was vintage 2000, which I am told is current release.
Cava hails from Spain and most quality Cava will be from Catalonia. Cava is also regulated for production method and is done in teh methode traditional, teh same as Champagne, which is a double feremet with the seconary ferment done in the bottle. Typically Cava will be higher quality and with more complexity than with simple Prosecco or other sparkling wines. As with any category though you will have better and pooere examples; Llopart is of the former.

This wine is a blend of Macabeo 40%, Xarel·lo 40%, Parellada 10%, Chardonnay 10%, and spends a miinimum of 48 months elevage, or aging in the bottle.
I found the wine to have s surprisingly fersh noew iwth hints of ginger and spice, with sold bold nuances; on the palate the wine is juicy and carries rich ripe flavors but is backed by a good line of stoney minerality underneath; the finish is layered and lingers for some time adding to the enjoyment factor. 2/3. Retail about $25/750mL.