MCF Rare Wine
No Longer Spain's Greatest Sparkling Wine??
The relationship between MCF and Pepe Raventos's Mas del Serral, a single-parcel, old vine expression of Xarel-lo and Bastard Negre that spends 100 months on the lees, is very special.
The first stateside release was 2007, a wine that blew my mind when Pepe first came by to show it to me. My initial commitment to 12 bottles was, at the time, something that Pepe was already extremely grateful for. It may not seem like much, but for a shop to commit to twelve bottles of (at the time) a $150 Spanish sparkling wine that nobody had heard of, is actually a lot in this business.
Then I wrote it up in this newsletter and, thanks to all of you and your trust in what we do here, we ended up selling closer to 100 bottles.
Since then Pepe and I have become friends and, following years of him asking, Emily, the kids and I finally went to visit him and his family at the winery in Penedès.
Pepe and Susana were incredibly gracious in their hospitality, and we had a wonderful week exploring Catalunya.
Of the many highlights, having the family be part of the team to harvest the Mas del Serral site was probably the most special.
However, the chance to taste the newest release 2013 vintage with Pepe was, for me, the most mind blowing.
For the first five vintages (07, 09, 10, 11, 12), I saw the vision of a truly world class wine in taking shape.
With the 2013, I see the actualization of that vision...
...I see a speech-sapping, knee-buckling wine of singular character, and stunningly immense depth.
The breadth of complexity, the driving precision, the mineral core - it's one of those truly ineffable experiences.
It has everything that people go crazy for in mature, tête de cuvée Champagne...but something even more.
The nutty/savory/herbaceous thing that's so signature to wines from Penedès, to wines from Spain, just adds another level to the overall character.
In one sip, I knew that the bet that Pepe (and to some lesser extent me) had made on this wine had truly paid off (especially for all of you)...
...and I'm not sure I was ever this excited to get home and type up a newsletter.
I have no reservations about saying that this is NO LONGER Spain's 'greatest sparkling wine'.
This is one of Spain's, and the world's, greatest wines.
Period.
You may order by calling 212.255.8870.
Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street NYC 10011
212.255.8870
Looking for a wine you loved from a past newsletter or a favorite you can't find anywhere? Email Raphael at raphael@mcf-rarewine.com, and we'll do our best to find it for you!
