An Interview with Vilarnau Winemaker Eva Plazas Torné

The philosophy of Vilarnau since the beginning has been quality and attention to detail and protect the environment and sustainability.
The Vilarnau estate is situated 6km outside of Sant Sadurni D’Anoia in the highest point of the area Espiells, 200m above sea level.
The estate is nestled at the foot of the Montserrat mountain range, where the vineyards experience a Mediterranean climate.
Protected from the cold winds of the Pyrenees by the Montserrat mountains and in the south by the Serrelada coastline.
The soil is formed by a lime-argillous layer which provides a balanced base for the vines.

Vilarnau has a guaranteed supply of high quality grapes due to the ownership of vineyards and good long-term relationships with suppliers. Moreover, it allows us to have the best characteristics of each grape variety. For example, Parellada variety comes from the high Penedes (600m above sea level). It contributes to a slower maturation of the grape, which produces wines with higher acidity contributing to a more balanced ageing.
• Organic viticulture ensures the highest quality with every single grape.
• Vilarnau has always been focused on innovation, being the first winery in the region to plant the Pinot Noir grape, fermenting Xarel.lo in Chestnut barrel and other experiments that you will need to visit us if you want to discover…
• The constant introduction of methods to improve production and ageing process assures the quality of every single bottle of Vilarnau.

So, what makes Vilarnau different as a sparkling wine made in the traditional method?

Our respect for the environment, the importance to have the best grape in each variety, and the constant research for innovation is what makes our daily life more exciting!

Does Vilarnau pair well with fine foods – Can you make a suggestion that our readers could try?

The Vilarnau Brut Rosé Reserva is a perfect pairing for ‘Calçotada’:
Calçotada is an annual event in Catalonia where people get together to celebrate the January harvest of the calçot, a local sweet onion which is a specialty of the region. They are grilled over a hot fire, wrapped up in newspaper, served on terra cotta tiles and eaten with scrumptious ‘romesco’ sauce.
The Vilarnau Brut Reserva is a perfect pairing for Tapas: ‘Pimientos del Padrón’, Octopus (pulpo) or Patatas Bravas
The Vilarnau Demi-Sec is perfect for desserts: Crema Catalana or carrot cake.

I have visited and tasted many Cavas and they offer such great variety and quality in the world of sparkling wines. In the UK though, Cava has not been in the limelight of recent years – Do you think it is time this is put right?

Of course, I think Cava In UK is starting to have a better perception about Cava, thanks to:

• Premium Cava in the UK is getting much more common.
• High quality Spanish restaurants. They are serving good quality Cava in their wine menu, so you can find a quality variety. One example is the work that Gonzalez Byass UK is doing, reaching a good positioning of Vilarnau Cava in the high quality restaurants.