Cava Hola Brut Rosé

Cava Hola Brut Rosé brings berry fruit to the glass

The Cava Hola Brut Rosé is a Spanish sparkling rosé wine from the Penedès region, crafted from Pinot Noir, Macabeo, and Xarel·lo and bottle-fermented. This is no sugary party rosé, but a dry Cava with a strawberry nose, fine perlage, and a gold medal to its name.

Cava Hola Brut Rosé is the pink sister to the Hola Brut from Barcelona Brands, also known as Brut Pink by the producer. The Pinot Noir gives it its delicate antique pink hue with a violet touch, while Macabeo and Xarel·lo provide roundness and backbone. 11.5 percent, creamy on the palate, with a seemingly endless perlage.

Strawberry, raspberry, and a violet shimmer

On the nose, there is a whole basket of summer: ripe strawberries first, followed by raspberry and darker blackberry.

It starts refreshingly on the palate, then becomes creamy and harmoniously spreads its fruit notes. Berry-like, juicy, and long-lasting, the strawberry lingers right to the very finish. It is produced dry, yet expresses its fruit so openly that it never feels austere.

Serve it chilled at 6 to 8 degrees. Its interplay of colors is better showcased in a wide glass than a narrow flute, and the berry aromas need room to breathe anyway.

For crustaceans, fruit, and dessert

The rosé is the more sociable of the two Hola Cavas and the better companion for anything sweet or delicate.

It pairs well with fish and crustaceans, grilled prawns, or a platter of Serrano ham and melon. Served with fresh berries or a dessert that isn't too sweet, it almost becomes the dessert itself, as its strawberry note finds an echo there. And if you serve it as an aperitif, you can't go wrong with a bowl of Marcona almonds on the side.

Grilled prawns with garlic and parsley are its best counterpart, especially when the shells are still hot and you're using your fingers. Its acidity cuts through the oil, the berry fruit overlays the roasted aroma, and suddenly a sparkling pink wine pairs perfectly with something one would usually drink with white wine.

For Mother's Day, a summer evening on the terrace, or toasting for no reason at all: The Brut Rosé is the Cava for occasions that deserve to look pretty. The white Hola Brut, by contrast, is the stricter dining companion that prefers to stand alongside savory dishes rather than sweet ones.

Pinot Noir from the higher elevations of the Penedès

The color comes from the Pinot Noir, which grows in the mountains of the Penedès where the nights are cooler, lending the wine tension.

Macabeo grows lower down and brings the roundness, while Xarel·lo, with its strong personality, provides structure. The grapes are harvested by hand during the cool hours to prevent oxidation; subsequently, the base wine is fermented in stainless steel under temperature control. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle, using the méthode traditionelle, followed by 14 months on the lees.

The house does not own any vineyards. The grapes are sourced from Penedès winegrowers who are bound by long-term contracts; and anyone who encounters the same rows every year eventually knows them better than a buyer who renegotiates annually. Since 2016, nothing chemical has grown in these rows, and like its white brother, this rosé is certified organic and vegan.

At the Mundus Vini Spring Tasting 2021, the 2018 vintage of the Brut Pink took gold. There, wines are tasted blind by expert juries organized by the Meininger publishing house—a significant achievement for a house without its own bodega. That’s how you do rosé.

You can find more from the producer in the portrait of Barcelona Brands and further sparkling wines under Prosecco and Cava.

Organic control number ES-ECO-019 CT