Freixenet Sparkling Cordon Negro Extra Dry
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Aged in the bottle for approximately three years, the Cordon Negro Extra Dry is less austere than the Brut. Delicate and clean, it features a mellow, balanced flavor. Excellent as an aperitif.
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Freixenet (pronounced "fresh-eh-net"), best known for its "black bottle bubbly" Cordon Negro, is a family-owned company that grew from humble beginnings in rural Catalunya. The roots of Freixenet stretch back to 1861 and are embedded in the history of two longstanding winemaking families, the Ferrers and the Salas, whose expertise, determination and ingenuity intertwined to form the foundation of the company that today is the world leader in sparkling wines. The proof, as they say, is in the bottle: today, the most often popped corks in the world say "Freixenet."
Winemaker Josep Bujan is the Technical Director for the Freixenet winery since 1980, Bujan is responsible for developing and refining the technical procedures that have allowed methode champenoise production of Freixenet cavas to soar to over one million bottles per year. A frequent enological lector and leader in the community of vintners in Catalunya through his work with a great number of professional wine societies, Bujan is also known for his writing. With the formation of a magazine to the publication of his book on sensory analysis, Bujan has established himself as one of Spain's most active enologists.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Known for bold reds, crisp whites, easy-drinking rosés, distinctive sparkling, and fortified wines, Spain has embraced international varieties and wine styles while continuing to place primary emphasis on its own native grapes. Though the country’s climate is diverse, it is generally hot and dry. In the center of the country lies a vast, arid plateau known as the Meseta Central, characterized by extremely hot summers and frequent drought.
Rioja is Spain’s best-known region, where earthy, age-worthy Spanish reds are made from Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache). Rioja also produces rich, nutty whites from the local Viura grape.
Ribera del Duero is gaining ground for Spanish wines with its single varietal Tempranillo wines, recognized for their concentration of fruit and opulence. Priorat, a sub-region of Catalonia, specializes in bold, full-bodied Spanish red wine blends of Garnacha (Grenache), Cariñena (Carignan), and often Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Catalonia is also home to Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine made in the traditional method but from indigenous varieties. In the cool, damp northwest Spanish wine region of Galicia, refreshing Spanish white Albariño and Verdejo dominate.
Sherry, Spain’s famous fortified wine, is produced in a wide range of styles from dry to lusciously sweet at the country’s southern tip in Jerez.