Welcome to Pop or FLOP
Ratings are necessary to better understand a sparkling wine.
I chose a simple POP or FLOP rating system. Anything I want to see again is a POP. Else it’s a FLOP. What ticks my boxes you can read find in the sparkling wine cellar.
Don’t take ratings too serious. A sparkling wine is good if it tastes no matter what rating it has received! Your taste is important but stay informed.
Facts
🌐 Region: Sant Sarduni D’Anoia, Catalonia
🇪🇸 Country: Spain
🍾 Variety: Cava
🍇 Grape varieties: 100% Chardonnay
🌶️ Taste: brut nature
📅 Vintage: 2013
📅 Disgorgement date: 10/2019
🥂 Alcohol: 11,5%
🍭 Sugar content: <2 g/l
⚠️ Total acidity: 5,7 g/l
💰 Price: 18,35 €
🏆 Rating: FLOP
🥂 Drink of the day: 13 May 2020
Cava means that the sparkling wine was made in the cellar. In other words, it is consumer information about the manufacturing process.
Cava is protected with the quality label called Denominación de Origen Cava since 1986. DO Cava is therefore not a designation of origin from a specific region. It is a quality indicator. It’s marked with a burned-in star in the cork.
Reservas are aging on the yeast for at least 18 months. Gran Reservas at least 30 months.
Rimarts is a family winery. I couldn’t find a lot of information about them. Therefore I think it is a rather small producer. In general that is not bad. Rimarts started 1987 to make Cava. Philosophy is to satisfy the most demanding palates around the world.
I bought Rimarts, Reserva Especial Chardonnay, 2013, brut nature because I like aged Chardonnay bubbles. Even if it is a french-origin grape 😉 The bottle matured for 6 years. That is a fine start for me.
Look
Fairly yellow colour. Looks very young. In addition very big bubbles. Aged Chardonnay normally has a richer yellow, almost golden colour.
Smell
Sharp smell with citrus notes and yellow flowers.
Taste
Taste doesn’t match the smell. Unripe apple. Very lean and thin on the palate. Fresh but too much tard acid taste. Minimal yeast or toast notes despite 6 years on the lees.
POP or FLOP
FLOP!
Rimarts, Reserva Especial Chardonnay, 2013, brut nature is for me in sum an ordinary Chardonnay. I didn’t like the taste. This time was no happiness in the glass. 2013 was a good vintage. Taste should be at it’s prime, but there are no full, rich flavors.
A Cava that wants to be a Champagne in reality. A No-Go in my world. It’s possible to make Cava with identity. Agustí Torelló Mata, KRIPTA, 2010, brut nature for example.
