{"product_id":"azimut-cava-brut-nature-pened-s-es-nv","title":"Azimut - Cava - Brut Nature - Penedès, ES - NV","description":"\u003ch2\u003eSatellite's Hot Take\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn incredible value in Cava that's hard to imagine in this age of tariffs and declining quality - Azimut reigns supreme. So Good So Pure!! \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNotes from the Winery\/Importer\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMade by the legendary family winery \"Cellers de can Suriol\" - In Catalan, the name AZIMUT means the line between the sun (the energy) and the sea (calm and Mediterranean diet).\nSoil: Calcareous clay\nVarieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada\nVinification Method: Traditional fermentation with indigenous yeasts. After the yeast addition for secondary fermentation, it’s aged for a minimum of 9 months in the bottle (prise de mousse), disgorged at the time of order. Zero dosage. No addition save for a little bit of sulfites at bottling (30ppm max).\nPersonality: Pale yellow, with fine persistent bubbles. Complex and intense aroma of mature white fruit, soft and elegant palate. Simply perfect for all kind of light meals, toasts, and celebrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNotes on the Producer\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLocation: the village of Grabuac, DO Penedés, Catalonia, Spain\nOwner \u0026amp; winemaker: Assís Suriol and his family\nVineyard area: 30 hectares (~74 acres), estate-owned + purchased organic grapes from neighbors for the Azimut line\nVineyard management: certified organic (CCPAE, since 1996), practicing biodynamics\nSoils: clay, limestone, loam\nMain varieties: traditional regional Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo for whites, Monastrell, Garnacha, Tempranillo for the reds\nWinemaking: Spontaneous primary fermentation, stainless steel vats, amphorae from local clay, and concrete tanks. The sparkling wines are secondary-bottle-fermented and aged on lees in accordance with the Cava DO rules. No fining, no filtering, little to no SO2 added.\nAnnual production (approx.): 90,000 bottles for the Suriol estate wines, 120,000 for the Azimut line\n\nFun facts:\nThe estate is based in Castell de Grabuac, a medieval farmhouse built in the 15th century, where the Suriol family has been farming the property since the 1600s\nIn 1890, the infamous phylloxera pest killed all their vines, causing the owners to replant all the vineyards with American rootstock some 10 years later\nThe winery focuses on sustainability in all aspects. For example, the glass bottles are generally sourced within 100 km from the estate, and the winery has installed solar panels covering a big part of their electric supply\nThe Suriol family produces wines under two brands – the bottles sporting their name present a polished, estate-grown fruit, while the Azimut line denotes easy-going fun wines made from Suriol’s and their close neighbors’ organic grapes\nThe family also runs a small rustic hotel and a restaurant as part of the property, offering a complete Mediterranean lifestyle experience to thirsty travelers.\nMany of the European winemakers we work with have been writing their family chronicles for quite some time – like the Suriols here, working on the same property since the early 1600s (and living in the area some 500 years before that). Originally a traditional mixed farm, the estate gradually became focused on grapes, despite the catastrophic arrival of phylloxera an aphid that nearly devastated vineyards in Europe at the time, including the Can Suriol ones, in 1890. But the family replanted and kept going: the 1940s marked the beginning of their production of bottled wine, first for own their use and to sell to local tavernas, and then in the 1980s, as Francesc Suriol Cantí, a chemistry graduate and oenologist took over and started bottling cavas under the family name that they still bear today.\nAn even more important step (for both man and nature) came in the 1990s, when the Suriols decided to switch vineyard management completely to organics, rejecting pesticides, synthetic herbicides, and fertilizers. The estate got its official certification in 1996, and some 20 years later, Assís Suriol, its current head, took it even further by introducing biodynamic practices and limiting the use of sulfur. “The decisions we make are unique for each vine. We never apply general recipes to our vineyards, only Mediterranean viticulture based on ecology and the wisdom of our farming ancestors,” he says. “For us, the most important thing is not the certification, but a clean conscience and staying true to the local philosophy. The complicity of the moon cycles and the astral influences, although not as decisive as our daily work, are always helpful too.” \nFollowing a truly holistic biodynamic approach, the sustainability effort extends to all areas of production – the farm’s “waste”, like compost and cow manure, is returned to the soil for its nourishment, a big part of their energy supply is covered by their own solar panels, the glass bottles are always sourced from the Iberian Peninsula and generally less than 100 km from Grabuac… Working with locally typical grapes such as Parellada, Macabeo, Xarel-lo, or Mataró and Garnacha rather than the globally present varieties is another part of the picture. \nResiding in Penedés, an area renowned for its fine sparkling wines, the Suriols focus on secondary-bottle-fermented cavas, which are very elegant and delicately creamy thanks to their long aging on lees. Both the cavas and still wines are primary-fermented using only indigenous yeast: “We let nature choose the best yeast strains that will remain on the grape skins at the time of harvest. This way, each vineyard, variety, and vintage brings in a different type of yeast that then gives rise to a naturally vast array of flavor nuances in our wines.” The malolactic fermentation happens naturally as well, in concrete tanks rather than stainless steel; a choice that Assis explains as bringing more stability to the wine: “Concrete is without electrical charge, and the tanks offer good temperature stability especially when buried underground, as ours, are. Hence, they are perfect for slow aging with a naturally cleared and stable wine as the end result.” \nA super important part of Suriol’s natural approach is their Azimut project, named after the Arabic word for direction. And the direction here is clear: promoting organic agriculture! Using their export network as well as connections to local farmers, Assis \u0026amp; co. have created a brand of fun, easy-drinking wines made from their own and certified organic grapes that they purchase from their neighbors, thus encouraging them to pursue respectful viticulture. Based on typical local grapes and the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, these wines are the perfect everyday dash of joy and color that can be enjoyed, as Assis would say, with a clear conscience.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jenny \u0026 François","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48995729113339,"sku":"00077473","price":23.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0403\/3655\/6193\/files\/AJZn-NQ6iry7tpdmp2z711tTzAoBO_qcVoeBPuFMZ7A.jpg?v=1781992433","url":"https:\/\/satellitesb.com\/products\/azimut-cava-brut-nature-pened-s-es-nv","provider":"Satellite SB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}