UK - LONDON - CANARY WHARF - IBÉRICA - VILARNAU CAVA TASTING (POST 2)

In October 2021, we visited a Vilarnau cava-tasting evening with tapas at Ibérica Canary Wharf, London.

A brief history of Vilarnau cava.

Members of Spanish nobility, the Vilarnau family, settled in Penedés in Cataluny in the 12th century. Vilarnau is a contraction of the Latin Vila Arnau, in other words, the Arnau family's "country house, or Domus." Formerly, it stood within the estate of the Castillo de Subirats, where vines were already being grown in the 12th century. Albert de Vilarnau, whose name has been given to what is currently the brand's most exclusive cava, was the singular character responsible for increasing the family's power back in the 14th century. He was also a patron of the church of Santa Maria de Vilarnau.

The first cava labelled Vilarnau, was created in 1949 when the owners sold a cava made from grapes grown on the "Can Petit i Les Planes de Vilarnau" estate for centuries.

In 1982, Vilarnau became part of the González Byass family of wineries. The new winery, located right at the estate's centre, began a new era of winemaking in October 2005.

The label design is similar to trencadís, a mosaic used in the Catalan modernist art movement, created from tiny fragments of broken ceramic tiles, roof tiles or crockery. The Catalan architects Antoni GaudÍ and Josep MarÍa Pujol used trencadÍs in many of their designs, the most famous probably being Parc Güell in Barcelona. As a result, some Vilarnau cava are dressed comparably.

As these are aged cava, the bubbles are much finer and rise slowly, creating a long-lasting mousse.

The "Cava Region" comprises some 159 townships, essentially in the provinces of Barcelona and Tarragona but also in Lleida, Girona, la Rioja, Álava, Valencia, Badajoz, Navarra, and Zaragoza.

Styles of cava

Brut Nature: No added sugar

Extra Brut: Maximum of 6g sugar per litre

Brut: Maximum of 12g per litre

Extra Seco (extra-dry): 12g-17g sugar per litre

Seco (dry): 17g - 32g sugar per litre

Semiseco (semi-dry): 32g - 50g sugar per litre

Dulce (sweet) More than 50g sugar per litre

The hot and cold tapas menus were created by Chef Nacho Manzano, the chef of the three-star Restaurant Casa Marcial in Arriondas,, and the one-star Restaurant La Salgar in Gijón. Both are in the northern Spanish region of Asturias.

The first cava we tasted was,

Vilarnau Brut Reserva Rosé (85% Garnatxa, 15% Pinot Noir).

Flavours of strawberry and peach are a hit with the ladies.

Which was served with,

Toasted bread with tomato.

Artisan cheese selection, San Simón, Massimo Rey Silo, manchego, Peralzola and organic Sujaira.

Cecina de León (air-dried beef).

Green asparagus toast with cheese.

Vilarnau Brut Nature Reserva (50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel·lo).

My preferred choice, dry and toasty.

Charred aubergine with cep cream, herbs, and beluga lentil vinaigrette.

Croquetas de Jamón Serrano.

Padrón peppers.

Roast chicory.

Vilarnau Limitada Extra Seco (40% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 25% Chardonnay)

Getting a bit sweeter now but still quite pleasant.

Roast harlequin pumpkin, labneh seeds, nasturtium leaves, and kumquat.

Catalan fish stew with hake, clams, and mussels suquet.

Catalan crispy chicken with trinxat, mashed potatoes, savoy cabbage, Ibérico pork lardons and pak choi.

Vilarnau Demi Sec Organic (50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel·lo)

This one is quite sweet but goes well with the dessert.

Flourless chocolate cake with licor café pearls, crema deorujo, créme anglaise and flor di latte ice cream.

One of our party was vegetarian, so we had a few extra vegetarian dishes.

The friendly host's information about the various cava's on the evening was informative and relayed in a way everyone could understand.

The food matching was excellent, and the cost of the evening was very reasonable for the amount of food and drink we were given. We recommend that anyone try their further events here. The Iberica staff serving us were both efficient and friendly.