🍾 Vallformosa

Vallformosa is a cava and wine house in Vilobí del Penedès, in the province of Barcelona. According to the house, its history begins in 1865, when the first vineyards were planted near the La Sala farmhouse. After phylloxera destroyed the vineyards of the Penedès, Vallformosa created a major nursery of vines on American rootstock, and King Alfonso XIII visited the estate in 1904.

The house has no vineyard of its own: it works with more than 400 grape-growing families, and some of the vineyards lie in the upper Penedès at 500 metres above sea level, which the house calls «Zona +500». According to the house, 100 % of its portfolio is suitable for vegans, and it holds ISO 14001 environmental management certification. Its site lists the brands Vallformosa, Mistinguett, Cultivare, Freyé, Vallformosa Spritz, Gran Barón and Solo Vida.

Cava is a Spanish protected designation of origin for quality sparkling wine made by the traditional method: the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, and the wine stays at least nine months on its lees in that same bottle. Cava may be white or rosé, with 10.8 to 12.8 % vol. alcohol. The area has four zones — Comtats de Barcelona (which includes Vilobí del Penedès), Valle del Ebro, Viñedos de Almendralejo and Requena — in the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Álava, La Rioja, Navarre, Zaragoza, Badajoz and Valencia. Nine varieties are allowed: Macabeo (Viura), Xarel·lo, Parellada, Malvasía (Subirat Parent), Chardonnay, Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Pinot Noir and Trepat. Yields may not exceed 12,000 kg of grapes per hectare, only the first pressing fractions may go into the base wine (at most 1 hl from 150 kg), and rosé base wine needs at least 25 % red grapes.