Vintage: 2020

VintageProduct CodeFormatClosureAvailability
2020RB203B206 x 75Natural CorkAvailable
2020RB203M201 x 150Natural CorkAvailable
Vegetarian
Vegan
Practising Biodynamic
Certified Organic
Producer

Raventós i Blanc is owned by one of Spain’s most historic winemaking families, whose viticultural tradition dates back to 1497. Josep Raventós Fatjó produced Spain’s first traditional method sparkling wine in 1872 from estate-grown Xarel·lo and his descendant, Josep Maria Raventós i Blanc, went on to become a key figure in Spanish wine.

Following the civil war and years of dictatorship, Josep Maria worked tirelessly to promote his family's estate, Codorníu, alongside Penedès sparkling wines, eventually helping to establish Cava as a ‘Denominación de Origen’. In 1986, the energetic Josep Maria sold his share of Codorníu and founded Raventós i Blanc, making high-quality wines from the family’s original vineyards around Sant Sadurní d’Anoia.

Today, Raventós i Blanc is run by Pepe Raventós, who previously worked with Hubert Lamy in Burgundy, Gaston Chiquet in Champagne and Didier Dagueneau in Pouilly-Fumé. Pepe has inherited his grandfather’s spirit and vision, believing Raventós i Blanc should “convey our viticultural traditions, the strength of our land and the characteristics of our soils”. As a result, Pepe withdrew from the Cava DO in 2012, to focus on their distinctive Conca del Riu Anoia region in Alt Penedès.

Raventós i Blanc’s 50 hectares of vines, nestled among picturesque woodland, are divided into 44 plots, according to soil and microclimate, within seven larger areas, Clos del Serra, La Vinya Més Alta, Costers del Serral-Vinya dels Fòssils, Les Barberes-Oliveres, El Llac, La Plana and Travesseres-Gran. The climate here is Mediterranean and the estate's vines are planted on limestone soils replete with marine fossils, protected by three mountain ranges: Sierra Litoral to the east, Montserrat to the north and Sierra d’en Compte to the west. Pepe believes in polyculture and biodiversity and the family’s land is home to many crops and animals. Biodynamic principles are employed alongside traditional Catalan farming practices, such as horse ploughing. “I believe that to express origin, you really need to bring a lot of life into your farm,” says Pepe.

Raventós i Blanc’s wines are vintage-dated and made from 100% indigenous, estate-grown varieties. Their wines undergo at least 18 months of ageing on their lees in stainless steel tanks. The Blanc de Blancs is a traditional blend of Macabeo, Xarel·lo, Parellada and Malvasia de Sitges. It is a gentle, citrus and mineral-inflected wine with soft Mediterranean herbs, superb freshness and a persistent finish. The ‘De Nit’ blends local white grapes with Monastrell, producing a lovely pale sparkling rosé. Both wines are extra brut and produced from younger vines. ‘De la Finca’ is limited production and is produced from the Vinya dels Fòssils site. This zero-dosage wine benefits from 30 months on lees to add complexity, resulting in a saline expression with delicate lemon and fennel accents. ‘Textures de Pedra’ is a Blanc de Noirs from Vinya Més Alta, the estate’s highest plot. It blends pale-skinned Xarel·lo Vermell with Sumoll and Bastard Negre and spends 48 months ageing on its lees. With zero dosage, the resulting wine is intense with a layered palate of fig, walnut and acacia honey.

Vineyards

Raventós i Blanc’s 50 hectares of vines are located in the Conca del Riu Anoia in Alt Penedès. Biodynamic principles are adhered to, using manure from the farm's animals as the base for the compost. The climate here is Mediterranean with mild winters and warm, dry summers. The estate is surrounded by three mountain ranges: Sierra Litoral in the east, which acts as a rain shadow from the wetter coastal areas, Montserrat in the north and Sierra d'en Compte in the west, both providing wind breaks and cooling temperatures from the Pyrenees. The vineyards are divided into 44 plots, depending on the different soils and microclimates. The grapes for De la Finca come from old vines in the Vinya dels Fòssils plot. This vineyard sits at 170-190 metres above sea level, where grey clay top soils sit above sandy subsoils containing small fragments of marine fossils. The vines are trained in both Goblet and double Royat trellising systems.

Vintage

The 2020 vintage will be remembered for its high humidity, heavy rains and warm spring. The humidity and excessive rains caused production losses of 5-10% due to an attack of mildew, the team implemented important green pruning work and phytotherapy treatments to successfully limit the damages. After the rains passed, the summer months were dry and consistent, ensuring optimal ripening conditions for the remaining grapes. Despite the challenges of this vintage, it has become one of the most sought after years of the Conca del riu Anoia.

Vinification

The grapes were hand harvested and separated by variety before being crushed in a pneumatic press at a low pressure. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks, using native yeasts, at 17 to 21ºC for approximately 9 to 15 days. The wine was then blended and bottled before spending 30 months on its lees.

Tasting Notes & Technical Details

On the nose this wine is fruity with hints of citrus, toast and pastry. On the palate, it is expressive, elegant and fresh, with a distinctive mineral note and a long, impressive finish.

Alcohol (ABV)

12%

Acidity

5.9 g/l

Residual Sugar

0.8 g/l

pH

3.01

Other wines from this producer

Producer
Wine
Product Code
Features
Style
Raventós i BlancBlanc de BlancsRB201
Practising Biodynamic
Certified Organic
SpW
Sparkling White
Factsheet
`De Nit` RoséRB202
SpRo
Sparkling Rosé
`Textures de Pedra` Blanc de NoirsRB204
Practising Organic
Practising Biodynamic
SpW
Sparkling White
Factsheet