I know of no finer producer of Spanish sparkling wines than Raventós i Blanc. Note that I write sparkling wines rather than Cava, because Raventós i Blanc left the Cava umbrella over a decade ago (because they felt the quality level in general was abysmal in many wines bearing the Cava designation. So, you don’t see Cava on their labels. Instead, they are vigorously promoting Conca del Riu Anoia, the area where they are located, though it has yet to get official recognition as a D.O. Regardless of a lack of official recognition, Raventós i Blanc’s wines are consistently excellent across the board. I have happily consumed cases of various vintages of their De Nit Rosé. Pepe Raventós (the current head of this family estate that traces its origins to 1497) was recently in Boston and poured De La Fina, which he referred to as their Grand Cru — and a wine I had never tasted. This Blanc de Blancs comes from a selection of grapes from vineyards Pepe’s grandfather planted on the slopes and felt were the best on the estate because of their soil and exposure. Horses have always been used to perform work in those vineyards, and consequently, the soils have never been compacted by the weight of tractors. The 2020 De La Finca combines a penetrating lushness with salinity that Pepe says comes from the limestone-rich soil. Its combination of power and finesse is extraordinary. Pepe attributes its fine bubbles to an extra year of aging on the lees, which to my mind also adds enormous complexity. Its impeccable balance allows you to enjoy it as a celebratory aperitif, though you could also enjoy it with sauteed scallops. This wine makes it easy to understand why they departed from the Cava organization.
95 Michael Apstein – May 21, 2025