Why it matters
The producer
Clos Amador belongs to a family based estate producing and marketing an extensive lineup of Cavas. Pere Ventura is identified as the founder of the winery in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Barcelona, and the wines are made under the DO Cava appellation.
The estate combines sparkling wine production with limited vineyard intervention. Its vineyards are non irrigated, treatments follow organic farming and integrated management criteria, and grapes are picked by hand at daybreak before entering the winery.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia in Barcelona is the winery's home, while DO Cava places its wines in a sparkling appellation. Cava is built around sparkling wine made through a second fermentation, with the bottle serving as part of the production process.
Clos Amador's range includes both a Reserva cuvée and a rosé. The appellation therefore covers different colours and bottle styles within the same sparkling category.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The estate's vineyards are non irrigated. Where there is a risk of overcropping, vegetation cover regulates production, while strict management of that cover keeps fertilizer use low. Few treatments are applied, with preventive work directed against mildew, botrytis and other fungal diseases.
Grapes are picked by hand at daybreak to reduce the energy required to cool them at the winery. At Pere Ventura's parent house, grapes are chilled for 24 hours before gentle pressing in traditional Coquard presses. Only the first 52% of the pressed juice is used, despite the higher allowance under the Cava DO.
Wines to know
The range in view
Brut Delicat Reserva is the central traditional blend, made from 35% Maccabeo, 35% Xarel.lo and 30% Parellada. It receives at least 18 months on its lees. Lees are spent yeast cells, and extended contact with them can give sparkling wine a rounder texture and more developed flavour.
Rosé Tendre provides the rosé expression of the range. Its production includes bottle fermentation by the traditional method, giving the wine a place within the same Cava category while changing its colour and fruit profile.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Rosé Tendre is the bottle to open first. Its pre fermentation maceration lasts between 16 and 20 hours at 12 to 14°C, followed by first fermentation in stainless steel tanks for 15 days at 15 to 17°C. The second fermentation takes place in bottle by the traditional method, and the wine spends at least 12 months on its lees.