Winemaker Notes
During the phylloxera crisis, Joan Albet i Rovirosa arrived in the Penedès in 1903 to work the vineyards at the Can Vendrell de la Codina estate. For five generations, the Albet family, tenant farmers of Can Vendrell, have farmed, loved and watched over the vines that now produce the fruit for Albet i Noya.
Albet i Noya has organically farmed wines since 1978, when a Danish wine company knocked on the family’s door looking to find an organic wine grower in Penedès. The organically farmed vineyards have expanded with time to include plots in Lavern and Mediona and the cellar now features modern technology to handle the wine gently.
Most of the vineyards are located in the mountains of Ordal, arranged on terraces, slopes or in small plots that are farmed differently depending on the orientation, the hours of sunshine, the humidity and the altitude. Like all good vineyard soils, those of Can Vendrell are poor in organic matter, with variable contents of clay and sand on a limestone bed, a permeable soil but with a good moisture retention capacity.
All vineyards include ground cover to aerate the soils and are maintained by adding green and organic fertilizers. Pest control is never treated with insecticides; instead sexual confusion and the introduction of bat colonies throughout the vineyards. An R&D project has been in the works to eliminate the use of copper completely and reduce the use of sulfur by 90% in the next few years.
Albet i Noya produces two lines of traditional method sparkling wines from the Penedès, neither of which are classified as Cava. The Petit Albet Rosé and Brut are fresh and youthful versions of "Clàssic Penedès" with the rosé being a Pinot Noir and Garnatxa blend and the brut being a traditional blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada.
A superior source of white grapes for the production of Spain’s prized sparkling wine, Cava, the Penedes region is part of Catalunya and sits just south of Barcelona. Medio Penedès is the most productive source of the Cava grapes, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Penedes also grows Garnacha and Tempranillo (here called Ull de Llebre in Catalan), for high quality reds and rosès.
What are the different types of sparkling rosé wine?
Rosé sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and others make a fun and festive alternative to regular bubbles—but don’t snub these as not as important as their clear counterparts. Rosé Champagnes (i.e., those coming from the Champagne region of France) are made in the same basic way as regular Champagne, from the same grapes and the same region. Most other regions where sparkling wine is produced, and where red grape varieties also grow, also make a rosé version.
How is sparkling rosé wine made?
There are two main methods to make rosé sparkling wine. Typically, either white wine is blended with red wine to make a rosé base wine, or only red grapes are used but spend a short period of time on their skins (maceration) to make rosé colored juice before pressing and fermentation. In either case the base wine goes through a second fermentation (the one that makes the bubbles) through any of the various sparkling wine making methods.
What gives rosé Champagne and sparkling wine their color and bubbles?
The bubbles in sparkling wine are formed when the base wine undergoes a secondary fermentation, which traps carbon dioxide inside the bottle or fermentation vessel. During this stage, the yeast cells can absorb some of the wine’s color but for the most part, the pink hue remains.
How do you serve rosé sparkling wine?
Treat rosé sparkling wine as you would treat any Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, and other sparkling wine of comparable quality. For storing in any long-term sense, these should be kept at cellar temperature, about 55F. For serving, cool to about 40F to 50F. As for drinking, the best glasses have a stem and a flute or tulip shape to allow the bead (bubbles) and beautiful rosé hue to show.
How long do rosé Champagne and sparkling wine last?
Most rosé versions of Prosecco, Champagne, Cava or others around the “$20 and under” price point are intended for early consumption. Those made using the traditional method with extended cellar time before release (e.g., Champagne or Crémant) can typically improve with age. If you are unsure, definitely consult a wine professional for guidance.