Tasting note
A pét-nat with attitude: Celler Credo, the project of the Recaredo family, has dedicated itself to the “Xarel·listas” – those who make the Xarel·lo grape, so often left anonymous in the Cava blend, the protagonist. With just 11.0% alcohol and a dry vinification, this sparkling wine is a wine of lightness without ever seeming lightweight.
- Colour & appearance
- Luminous pale straw yellow with golden reflections. The mousse is restrained yet lively and fine-beaded – pét-nat from its most refined side.
- Nose
- A thrilling interplay of yeasty pastry, butterscotch and shortcrust, alongside yellow fruit: apricot, mirabelle plum, peach, a hint of grilled pineapple and green mango. Spicy notes of cinnamon and white pepper provide the flanks, along with nutty tones of almond and cashew, plus dried Mediterranean herbs – sage, thyme, oregano. Beneath it all lies a fine, chalky-limestone note. More yellow-fruited and voluminous than classic Cavas, yet still bright and transparent.
- Palate
- The carbon dioxide grips purposefully, bringing drive and freshness. The minerality shows itself as chalky and precise, yet stylishly understated. Slender, racy, enticing – in the background almonds, cherry stones, hazelnuts and delicate linden and apple blossom.
- Finish
- Clear and stimulating, with a nutty aftertaste, subtle herbal spice and the cool, limestone final chord that gives the wine its length.
- Terroir & origin
- The vines grow directly by the Mediterranean on sandy granite soils at an altitude of 100 to 220 metres. Behind Celler Credo stands the Recaredo family from Penedès – farming organically since 2003 and certified biodynamic in 2010 as the first estate in the region.
- Grape variety & vinification
- Made from Pansa Blanca (Xarel·lo), complemented by Macabeu and Parellada. Following the méthode ancestrale, the must completes its fermentation in the bottle; 15 to 24 months on the lees lend depth and the fine pastry aromatics.
- Food recommendations
- Goes well with tapas featuring almonds and olives, gambas al ajillo, grilled sea bream fillet or paella de marisco. Also cuts a fine figure alongside Comté or a herb quiche.
- Special features
- A pét-nat that proves ancestral method and elegance are no contradiction: broad, pear-like fruit instead of citrus clichés, plus long ageing on the lees – a sparkling wine with a character of its own and great drinking pleasure, achieved with consummate clarity.
