Raventos i Blanc
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Country of Origin: Spain
Location: Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Penedès
People: Raventós Family, Owners | Pepe Raventós, Director
Viticulture: Certified Biodynamic
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Raventós i Blanc was founded in 1986 by Josep-Maria Raventós, a member of the Cordoniu family who wished to create a small, quality-oriented winery that would stand apart from the large co-ops in the area. Today they own about 300 acres of vineyards (with a high percentage of Chalk in the soil, like Champagne) planted mostly to local varieties such as Macabeo (Viura), Xarel-lo and Parellada.
Josep-Maria Raventós was President of the Sparkling Wine Department of the Wine Trade Union and was instrumental in establishing the Cava DO in 1970. The Codorniu family goes back to the 15th Century, and the Raventós married into this family in the 17th Century. "It was here in the town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia that Jose Raventós, head of the family firm of Codorniu, made the first bottles of Champagne method sparkling wine after a visit to France in 1872" (Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine).
Today, Pepe Raventós has taken Raventós i Blanc to the next level with his obsession for natural farming and winemaking that reflects the true terroir of this estate. As of 2012, Raventós i Blanc has left the Cava DO to pursue authentic and honest sparkling wines representative of their terroir Conca del Riu Anoia. Their wines are 100% estate produced, and the vines are farmed in a biodynamic way, allowing biosynergies between man, animals and plants.
Raventós vineyards have spontaneous plant coverage, which creates soil with biodiversity, fertility and life. Composted manure is added in the winter as well as short pruning on the bush. In the spring, they green prune to balance the vines and prevent any diseases. Plant infusions are used as homeopathic treatments to minimize the use of sulfur salts for oidium and copper salts for mildew, which are permitted in organic farming.
The soil on the estate, in the basin of the River Anoia (Riu Anoia), is calcareous and date back to the oldest period of the Penedès depression some 16 million years ago, when the valley was still submerged beneath the Mediterranean Sea. The River Anoia has carved out its course, this being the only area of the Penedes region where these soils replete with tropical marine fossils have surfaced.
Media Links
Robb Report: The Head of Raventós i Blanc Is a Rebel in the Wine World [Q&A]
Decanter: Rebel Harvest - In this week's column, Andrew Jefford looks back at the harvest at Raventos i Blanc and meeting 'Cava rebel' Pepe Raventos
Food & Wine: Can Cava Rival Champagne?
Wall Street Journal: Cava Seeks to Make a New Name for Itself