Marc Clapes Puig, ROGER GOULART ,Spanish Cava Tastes" New " Cava Sparkling Wine Releases Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 At Cleveland Park Wines & Spiri

The headline should read " Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits, the last two letters were left off ! Oops!

It was great to have Marc Clapes Puig , export mamager of ROGER GOULART ( Corsega, 73 1er 1 08029 Barcelona, Tel : +34 934 191 000 Fax : +34 934 193 170 email: mclapes@montferrant.com ) here to taste his four excellent Spanish cavas with me yesterday, Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 sometime mid-afternoon. My rep Irene Bender ( 703-927-1704,  cpobender@yahoo.com )from Dionysos Imports called to see if she could bring him by to taste these exceptionally fine, clean, flavorful and balanced Spanish cavas. I personally liked the first three 120% and not so much the extra-dry because of it's extra fruit. It was simply not my style but it, too was masterfully executed and I can see it will do very well along with the others.

I especially liked the first two that were text book examples of sparkling wine at it's very best. The first ( Reserva 2005 brut, $22.99 ) was a bit leaner, a bit more steely and linear. I could see that with certain appetizers doing fabulously and I do think I would like it all the more when served alongside some food.

The second, vintage-dated 2001 Gran Cuvee ( $31.99 , we received the 2003 vintage, not the 2001 just now, Thursday, Feb. 5th, 2009 ) extra brut and not made every year was my favorite because it combined so many of what makes bubbly so great to me : richness, complexity, brightness yet depth and some yeast and dough/bread overtones ( accents that provide texture and background and support ) . I could fully stretch my tongue out in this cava and feel quite expansive. I like that. I loved all the complexities that were so balanced and entertaining, and with a wonderful finish, too.

The third 2006 ( $24.99 ) , the dry brut rose was quite rich and creamy and very focused. I did not find it nearly as stimulating or layered in different flavors and profiles. It was, though a beautiful color and the texture on the tongue was so pleasing and put me at rest and to a really nice comfort zone that was hard to deny or resist. I could possibly sit the longest and chat and catch up, listen to family and friends and just " be " drinking this smooth, bright dry rose.

The fourth 2005 Reserva  ( $22.99 ), the extra dry as I said had just a wee-too-much fruit for me. It weighed more heavily on my tongue and left me with less relief and overall enjoyment. But many will love it and I don't want to impose my personal tastes here. There should always be something for everyone to enjoy. The principle at a party or meal is that everyone enjoy what is in their glass and not leave it sitting, deserted because they did not care for it. That to me spells failure, and there should be no failure if possible when gathered around a table with family and friends, whether at a meal or not.

Marc was there at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 sales@clevelandparkwine.com www.clevelandparkwine.com Tel : 202-363-4265 ) with Paul F.S. Doble ( East Coast sales manager ) of GrapeMoments ( www.grapemoments.com pauldoble@grapemoments.com ) that provided Marc's wines as well as other Portuguese wines, Spanish, too to Dionysos Imports.

I realize that looking further at Marc's business card that he also represents MONT-FERRANT. I will have to check into this to provide more information later.

It was a grand tasting and we all had a wonderful moment shared together : many jokes, anecdotes and I felt that I quite-bonded quickly with both Marc and Paul that followed my string of comments and quickly added their own. Together we four were able to quickly flesh-out pretty much any scenario we envisioned or began to create from nothing but the germination of an idea. Nice.

We will have all four of these finest Spanish cavas tomorrow ( Thursday ) at Cleveland Park for any of you wanting to come check them out for yourselves. In the meantime enjoy these pictures that I took, mostly of Marc. It's now Wednesday evening here at home in northern Virginia at midnight on the dot as I type this last sentence. I will post it tomorrow after proofing it and adding a few more details. Cheers, thanks Irene, Paul & Marc -  hasta luego Marc , TONY

Four great " new " cavas we will now carry here at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits. TONY