Cava Gran Funambul Brut Nature, Spain

Funambul means ‘tightrope walker’ and that certainly felt fitting when a new supplier put a premium Cava in front of me. Cava is a tough sell at the best of times (not fair but true) - let alone trying to pitch a premium Cava when people are conditioned to £5 supermarket Cava deals. it was all I could do to keep my ‘sceptical arched eyebrow’ from twitching. I was already mentally crafting my polite ‘it’s lovely but we can’t sell a £26 Cava’ response.

Then I tasted it. Oh my…

Floral, bright, fresh but with bready, toasty notes. Opulent, luxurious and elegant (yes all those wine geek words) but all the time remaining fresh and lively. Did I close my eyes and let out an involuntary ‘mmmm’? Yes I did people. Did I say that I’d ‘better hang onto the sample to see how it held up the day after opening’. You bet I did. And I have no shame for doing so because as a result I can look you straight in the eye, hold your gaze and say ‘you should try this £26 Cava’.

This Cava was made according to the traditional method. The first fermentation lasts around 20 days in steel tanks (wild yeasts, unfined and unfiltered) and all of the varieties are fermented separately (blended in Jan/ Feb). The wine is then given a long second fermentation in the bottle using organic and neutral yeasts. It then rests in silence and at stable temperatures in racks and on its lees for four years prior to disgorgement and final bottling. Minimal sulphite addition, zero dosage.

The grapes come primarily from a old vineyard called ‘La Baixada de les Bruixes’ (forest parcel, meaning ‘The Witch’s Path’) in the heart of the Baix Penedés region where the soils are generally very poor, leading to low yields but great concentration in the grapes. These old bush vines are surrounded by a rich biodiversity, encouraging a natural balance in the vineyard that finds its way into the wines. Part of the parcel is also in the ‘Foex’ natural park. For the Gran Funambul they only use the best, healthiest and oldest vines in a strict selection.

Birds appear on all of this producer’s labels. For them, they are a sign of life in the vineyards, a sign of a balanced ecosystem and a reward for farming honestly. ‘Funambul’ means tightrope walker. The meaning for them is two-fold: birds are the ‘tightrope walkers’ of the vineyards, always hanging on the wires etc. Also, they liken winemaking to tightrope walking, forever trying to find a natural balance in nature, in the wines, in life!