Freixenet cellars: one of the highest producing Cava companies in Spain.
For those that have never heard of Cava, it is the Spanish version of champagne – a sparkling wine of which the majority is produced in the province of Cataluñia. And for those who do not know my father, he is a connoisseur of travel, food, and wine, and very much prefers the authentic and the local. That being said, I was eager to take Dad wine tasting during his visit to Spain.
Dissatisfaction is probably a sympathetic word to describe his reaction to our trip to the Freixenet cellars. I had no idea that this company was one of the highest producing Cava companies in Spain, and in fact was rather pleased with myself for successfully making the reservation in the first place. I thought the tour was informative as we were taken through the old cellars and learned about the double fermentation process and the innovative method for getting rid of the extra yeast. The end of the tour yielded a sample of Freixenet’s Brut Nature.
Getting back in our rental car, my father was insistent that we drive around the area a bit before heading to our next destination. He chose a small dirt road that lead off into nowhere, to get a better look at some of the grape vines. We ended up in front of a large manor, a small Cava making winery called Olive Batllori. It is a small family owned winery that only produces about 70,000 bottles every season. We parked and wandered up to the seemingly empty building, only to peer in to find a jovial man willing to take us on a tour. Even though he only spoke Spanish, I was able to translate his explanation and ask him any questions my father had. We then tried all four of the label’s Cava, getting to taste the subtle differences between the varieties.
My father purchased a few bottles and got back into the car with a huge grin on his face. He said, “Now that’s the type of Cava experience I was after.” In retrospect, the personal cellar tour was far more enriching (and unique) than the almost automated tour we received at Freixenet. This experience was a refreshing reminder on how rewarding it can be to stray beyond the mass-produced or tourist-oriented options to experience a local tradition. It is an aspect of travel that my parents have always valued and a traveling pillar I will carry with me forever.
