Most of the reviews I have done, up until now, have been on wines that I really like. Love this and love that. I rather share positive experiences, but I am not shy to give some critique as the negative are also important. I don’t always “shop” as other critics suggest, generally because wine is as all food and drinks a “taste issue”. So you shouldn’t not try this cava if you run across it somewhere. But it’s good to bear in mind also the negative reviews when considering to buy something
Well that preface already gave up my opinion on this wine. Yes, my experience with Vendrell Olivella Brut Nature cava was not that good. This wine was amongst the cavas we brought from our last visit to Barcelona. We bought it on the last day from a small wine-shop, based on the shop-keepers recommendation (we had some extra space in the luggage we wanted to fill up). The recommendation was something like this: “If you want to try an ok organic cava, you should try this one”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am really interested in organic production, however the products on the market that I have tried, have not really reached up to a top level yet, so I am constantly on the lookout for a five star organic sparkling.
Vendrell Olivella did not really even reach a medium level for me. The scent was not very flattering: lemony, sewer-like, a bit stingy (perhaps I stuck my nose too far down the glass). The taste was, as the nose, very citrusy but short, almost disappearing in the mouth. All in all a disappointing cava.
I am not fully ready to give this cava just one star, as I am quite sure I can find many wines that are also worse on the market. Especially when you enter the sweeter section of mass production (yuk). But I am disappointed, as the production method, aging (Reserva = over 15 months) and low sugar content (Brut nature) raised expectations for me. The mix of grapes was also very standard for a cava: Xarello, Parellada and Macabeo. Perhaps if I would have paid 5 Euros for it I would have been more happy, but the range was closed to 15 €, so not really value for money for me.
So the search for a good organic cava for our selection continues, and Vendrell just wasn’t the one for me.
The Winecurious 
Interesting. Never had this one – it is not available in US. Have you tried Gramona or Sigura Viudas?
If you are looking for organic, looks like the sparkling wine from California, at Domaine Carneros, us produced using certified organic grapes: https://www.domainecarneros.com/winemaking/organic-carneros-vineyards – have you tried any of the Domaine Carneros sparklers? They are typically well made…
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Hi,
You have a great taste in sparkling! I really like Gramona, its on my to-review list. Domaine Carneros I tried a few years ago when we were visiting Napa, and I very much enjoyed it too. Its not really available here in Europe and thats a shame. Same with many Clafornia sparklings, they are perhaps too “expensive” to import her, and too much competition from France, Spain and Italy. So I need to plan a sourcing trip to California next year. Another sparkling I liked from the US was Mumm Napa, I think their basic sparkling was actually great, perhaps better than Mumm from Champagne. Segura Viudas I havent tried, but I think I have a bottle waiting in the fridge, so now I am really looking forward to trying it =).
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I think Gramona is a very good cava but from what I understood they are not ‘officially’ organic but any one looking for organic cava should have a look at the cavas from Castell d’Age,both the Olivia and the Anna Marie are very good and fairly decent value for money.
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Hi Matt,
Yes, I think you are right, Gramona is not certified as organic or biodynamic. I read that the owners have introduced a lot of biodynamic practices (like leaving out machines and pesticides) both at their vineyard and at the growers that they buy from. They even have animals (lambs and ostridges) at the bodega for manure. I hope that I get a chance for a tour in March when I am visitng Sant Sadurni.
I have actually tried both Anne-Marie and Olivia. I think they are both good (Olivia even a little bit better), wonderful value for money. Unfortunately only in the special order selection here in Sweden, which means that it just takes some time to get a bottle. Anne-Marie they actually have at my favorite restaurant, Matkonsulatet as their house cava.
So great suggestions! Let me know if you run into some other great cavas. We seem to have a similar (good) taste!
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