GRAPE VARIETAL
Xarel·lo, Macabeu, and Parellada
APPELLATION
Cava DO (Catalonia-Penedes)
TERROIR
Clay and limestone soil, sustainably farmed.
VINIFICATION
First Fermented in tank over lees for 6 months. Less than 3 g/l and no sugar added. Second fermentation in bottle, aged on lees minimum 24 months.
TASTING NOTES
Lemon-yellow in color with golden highlights. Creamy, well-integrated mousse. Notes of apple and white flowers over a refreshing lemony foundation. Reminiscent of fresh herbs and a lovely touch of brioche. Smooth and balanced on the palate, finishing long and dry.
FOOD PAIRING
Perfect party apperitif. Will pair like a champ with any of your favorite seafood, especially tuna, fried chicken, Pulled pork , BBQ smoked-paprika pork chops.
Castell de Sant Pau Brut Nature is a private label sparkling wine project sourced with Eva López and Ignacio Alonso—our long-time friends and trusted partners in Spain. Eva and Ignacio are a wife-and-husband team who act as our Spanish “boots on the ground,” and over the years, this dynamic duo has helped us source some super-tasty small-production gems.
Castell de Sant Pau is one of those fabulous finds, and it’s been a perennial favorite at numerous AWM Tastings and Wine Dinners. This tasty sparkler is produced by Bodegas Maset in La Granada, an iconic village in Alt Penedès that’s widely celebrated as the birthplace of traditional Cava.
Cava has been Spain’s answer to Champagne and Cremant for well over a century. Like its French counterparts, it’s made using the traditional method, with the second fermentation occurring in the bottle. While Champagne is typically made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, traditional Cava leans exclusively into indigenous Spanish grapes like Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada.
Cava tends to be a bit earthier in the glass, with more subtle autolytics than the brioche-forward style of Champagne. When compared to the often fruitier, tank-fermented Prosecco, Cava is drier, more structured, and usually more complex on the nose and the palate, while also sporting more elegant bubbles versus Prosecco.
Vineyards in the Alt Penedés village of La Granada
In your glass, Castell de Sant Pau Brut Nature offers aromas of tart green apple, lemon zest, and a hint of almond and crushed stone. The palate continues the theme, adding notes of bright citrus and a whisper of white flowers, framed by lively acidity and ultra-fine bubbles. There’s a super pleasant salinity that rides through the finish that makes it especially food-friendly. I love how the lack of dosage lends a racy edge to the finish, and if you love mineral-driven whites, this is a sparkler for you.
Classic pairings for Brut Nature Cava include tapas favorites like jamón ibérico, Marcona almonds, and of course, oysters, calamari, or a good anchovy-studded boquerón. It’s also right at home with paella, especially if your paella preference leans toward the briny, saffron-rich Valencian style. For more inventive pairings, try it with Thai lemongrass shrimp, sushi with ponzu dipping sauce, or even a spicy fried chicken sandwich.