2019 Hispano Suizas Tantum Ergo Vintage Brut Nature

The Tantum Ergo is the top model of Hispano Suizas and internationally the flagship with rave reviews. It is one of the Cavas that is made from exactly the same grapes as a champagne, namely Chardonnay & Pinot (Blanc de Noir) and we rarely see this in the Cava region. The wine is also made according to the Traditional method, so with a double fermentation, so this can rightly be called a 'Spanish Champagne' (interesting detail but the

We dare to take on the challenge as also Suckling and Decanter agree and drink the Vintage Cavas of Hispano Suizas (blind) next to a good champagne and you will experience it yourself. So incredibly good with an impressive perlage. So fine that the bubbles are barely visible, but in the mouth the bubbles are so fantastically refined and give away all the fresh fruit.

For the top model of this quintessential Spanish 'Champagne' they select the best grapes from low-yielding vines from their own vineyards of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which contain only 3,500 plants per hectare. The grapes are collected in special boxes of 15 kg each. They only harvest in the very early morning to keep the grapes at an optimal temperature until they reach the winery. Once in the winery, the full boxes are stored in cold rooms at a temperature of -10°C for 3 days.

The grape varieties are vinified separately, and at the end of fermentation the coupage is carried out. The Chardonnay is destemmed and crushed, after which the grape pulp is placed in stainless steel tanks with a cooling system for a cold maceration at 8°C for 36 hours.

The Pinot Noir is cold pressed in a pneumatic press, with a light pressing of no more than 0.5 bar to obtain the white grape juice. The grape juice is left static for 36 hours, after which only the clear part is fermented. Fermentation takes place in new American oak barrels of 400 liters at a temperature of 16°C.

After fermentation, the wine remains on the lees (read) until the final filtration. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle at a constant temperature of 16°C to promote a very slow fermentation, resulting in a perfect integration of the carbonic acid, visible in the very fine bubbles in the glass. The maturation on the lees lasts for a minimum of almost 4 years and the disgorging is done manually.

In the glass this top wine has a golden yellow color with a green tinge to the ranks. In the nose the Tantum Ergo Vintage has a high intensity with a multitude of scents after the wine 'opens up' in the glass. Very complex and elegant with hints of ripe fruit, dried fruit and a background of vanilla and butter and yeasty notes from the aging. In the mouth despite the fact that the wine contains hardly any sugar (ultra-brut) very creamy, full and elegant with a beautiful, e balanced acidity and a very long passage through the mouth.

ABOUT CAVA & HISPANO SUIZAS

Cava has been a protected designation of origin since 1972. The name cava first officially appeared in 1959; before that, the Spanish simply called it "champán". The production process is therefore completely identical to that of champagne. Historically, it is even the case that monk Dom Pérignon, the "inventor" of champagne, got the idea of using a cork with a muselet to close the bottle in Catalunya when he was visiting there.

The production of Cava is carried out according to the standards of the "méthode traditionnelle", completely identical to the production of Champagne with two main differences: the region or terroir where the grapes grow and especially the grapes used.

The production of CAVA indeed still mainly takes place in what is today the territory of the DO Penedès, but there are now many other regions where cava can be made and which also legally belong to the Cava appellation and near Valencia there is also a small unique area which belongs to the DOP Cava.

It differs from this region near Penedes (Barcelona) in that it has a continental climate and Mediterranean influences and the soils mainly consist of calcareous clay. Another difference is that the vineyards are a few hundred meters above sea level and still have to work hard to find water and minerals deep in the ground. There is also a big difference between day and night and this gives grapes good acidity. All this is ideal for the production of elegant, fresh sparkling wines such as this top Cava.

FACT: In the tab 'Attachments' you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will automatically send you this when you order this wine. The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will often also receive a nice discount . You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht almost next to the A16 with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.