Macabeu

Also known as: Macabéo (Rioja), Viura (Rioja), Alcañol (Aragon)

Macabeu is the quiet force behind every serious Cava. Whilst Xarello provides the structure and Parellada the finesse, Macabeu brings the flesh – that soft, floral core that makes the sparkling wine drinkable before it spends years on the lees. In Roussillon, where the variety goes by Macabéo, it shows an entirely different side: more concentrated, with greater grip, often grown on schist.

Matassa vinifies Macabeu that tastes of garrigue and salt – radically different from the Cava version. At Gramona and Recaredo, the grape matures in sparkling wines that can hold their own against any Champagne. And Roc des Anges bridges both worlds: Catalan variety, French precision.