One of my New Year’s resolutions is to drink more sparkling wine so I’ll start 2009 with a review of a Cava made from an obscure native Spanish red variety.

This wine was one of the bottles I purchased on my trip to Spain in 2007 but had not yet tasted. I picked it up in a store in Montsant along with a few other interesting choices based upon wine style or varieties I have not tried. I think Ryan from Catavino also picked up a bottle of the same wine for similar reasons but haven’t seen his review yet.

This sparkler is made from Trepat, a native red variety from northeast Spain almost always used to make rose in Conca de Barbera and Costers del Segre zones. About 3,700 acres of this variety are grown in these Spanish wine zones today with some producers starting to make red still wines from the variety.

Tasting Notes:

Canals Nadal, Cava Brut Rose, Reserva NV ($14) – Quite a deep shade of ruby for a rose with vigorous, fine bubbles. A reserved nose of candied cherry and strawberry makes you expect an austere wine. Not so on the palate with full red raspberry and strawberry fruit flavors finishing bone dry with a nice mineral, lees note. Very nice balance for a sparkling wine at this price point. Enough body to pair with more hearty fare than most sparklers.

12% ABV
Composite cork closure
[rating: 3.5/5]