Buying Cava in PenedesPenedes In SpainPenedes In Spain
By Nancy Todd and Comments by Negu, The Blogdog
Celia, Tomeo, Fatima, and I, craving bugs, flowers, and leaving the cement of Barcelona behind, took off for the Penedès wine region, right outside of Barcelona. Meandering through Penedès for green may have been an underlying excuse to taste wine. With over 270 wineries, we knew we would find the perfect one to visit.
Juan and Tomeo, Penedès in Spain
Foregoing the big dogs like Fresenet and Torres that produce millions of bottles a year, we started the hunt for a small bodega. Tomeo and Fatima, like good scouts, had a GPS which tumbled us through back lanes to the Joan Bundo Pons Caves. I have no idea how we got there. The GPS towed us into the driveway of a rose bordered country home. No sign. No people about. We started to back out of the driveway, and Joan appeared.
This business, family owned, produces 10,000 bottles of cava (the Spanish name for champagne) a year. The family doesn’t sell to stores because they sell out each season by word of mouth. We headed around to the back of the house and went down three flights of stairs to a dark, damp cellar. Large wooden barrels were lined up on one side of a large room. The other side had orderly rows of green bottles with metal caps, mold richly growing on all the bottles.
At this point, the wine was fermenting into bubbly cava and was thick and murky. The bottles are then lined up at an angle on cement racks and turned everyday for 28 days. For some cavas, the process take two years. Of course, we sampled the cavas and all walked out with bottles of brut nature, which means cava with no sugar and lots of other things I don’t understand. I dont’t like champagne, and don’t drink it except for a sip at a well meant toast, I have now become a fan of cava. I can’t believe I only bought two bottles. I will be back for more.
Joan is going organic. The law states the plants and soil must remain chemical free for five years and his vines are now at the three year stage. Half the fun was getting there. You know the other half.
The Blogdog
Negu, The Blogdog:
“Between you and me, Sweetheart, that Joan is a handsome one. Now, I wonder if he needs a dog. I mean a reallllll dog. I don’t do tricks for just anyone. ”
A Small Bodega, Penedès In Spain
Buying Cava in PenedesPenedes In SpainPenedes In Spain
By Nancy Todd and Comments by Negu, The Blogdog
Celia, Tomeo, Fatima, and I, craving bugs, flowers, and leaving the cement of Barcelona behind, took off for the Penedès wine region, right outside of Barcelona. Meandering through Penedès for green may have been an underlying excuse to taste wine. With over 270 wineries, we knew we would find the perfect one to visit.
Juan and Tomeo, Penedès in Spain
Foregoing the big dogs like Fresenet and Torres that produce millions of bottles a year, we started the hunt for a small bodega. Tomeo and Fatima, like good scouts, had a GPS which tumbled us through back lanes to the Joan Bundo Pons Caves. I have no idea how we got there. The GPS towed us into the driveway of a rose bordered country home. No sign. No people about. We started to back out of the driveway, and Joan appeared.
This business, family owned, produces 10,000 bottles of cava (the Spanish name for champagne) a year. The family doesn’t sell to stores because they sell out each season by word of mouth. We headed around to the back of the house and went down three flights of stairs to a dark, damp cellar. Large wooden barrels were lined up on one side of a large room. The other side had orderly rows of green bottles with metal caps, mold richly growing on all the bottles.
At this point, the wine was fermenting into bubbly cava and was thick and murky. The bottles are then lined up at an angle on cement racks and turned everyday for 28 days. For some cavas, the process take two years. Of course, we sampled the cavas and all walked out with bottles of brut nature, which means cava with no sugar and lots of other things I don’t understand. I dont’t like champagne, and don’t drink it except for a sip at a well meant toast, I have now become a fan of cava. I can’t believe I only bought two bottles. I will be back for more.
Joan is going organic. The law states the plants and soil must remain chemical free for five years and his vines are now at the three year stage. Half the fun was getting there. You know the other half.
The Blogdog
Negu, The Blogdog:
“Between you and me, Sweetheart, that Joan is a handsome one. Now, I wonder if he needs a dog. I mean a reallllll dog. I don’t do tricks for just anyone. ”
”
Joan Bundo Pons Caves
Cami de la Font Del LLeo, (no number)
Phone: 93 890 21 57 Mobil: 649 16 52 87
cavesbundo@hotmail.com
More related Spain Scoop: For more good reasons to visit Penedès, check out this post on The Scoop. Cava anyone? (Spanish Champagne)
We had our fun at the San Sandurni Cava Festival in Penedes. The List of top Spanish wines from Spectator Magazine.