Tastos i maridatges at Nadal, Sant Sadurni D’Anoia, Spain

We went back to Sant Sadurni D’Anoia the other week during our visit to Catalonia where we had the pleasure once again of hanging out with Xavier Roig of Cal Feru(remember him? He’s the nicest guy in wine). Xavier had pulled a couple of strings and got me on the guest list for a very special day of tastos i maridatges (tastings and pairings) for industry professionals at the fabulous home of Cavas Nadal, out in Torrelavit. We took The Boy along too, for his world class ‘looking slightly awkward at posh events, but not so awkward that anyone ever questions his presence’ skills.

Xavi checking out the cava while fabulous treats await behind


It was a wonderful day, with the beautiful winery gardens filled with a variety of stalls showcasing local, regional and national delicacies for guests to try. There were a plethora of delights, including cold meats, an array of Catalan and Spanish cheeses, the local sweet biscuit delicacy which was surprisingly delicious when served with a tomato and pork fat pate and cheese, fresh artisanal breads, sardines and much much more. There was even a local potato crisp which had excellent crunch and salty flavour!


These delicious foods were combined with a delightful selection of Nadal’s wines. This wasn’t really the event to stand around scribbling down tasting notes, but I can let you know that all of the wines we tried were delicious, but the real highlights for me were the Nadal Brut Reserva and the X Nadal Vermell, a delicate dry white with a faint hue to the colour which had incredible flavour and depth for such a light refreshing wine. It definitely earns the title of a Noble White. If you want to try for yourself you can use the Nadal online shop, or perhaps try the folks at Vi Vino or Berry Brothers and Rudd for a UK stockist.


After we had been tasting and pairing like a fury (with the Nadal rose cava being a surprisingly competent match to the delicious freshly sliced Iberico ham) we were taken on a tour of the cellars and the winery to see for ourselves where the magic happens.


I will never tire of touring wineries, hearing about the specifics of their own wine-making practices in each cellar we visit and always learning something new. Sadly, my Spanish was not quite up to understanding the answer to the question posed by the guide as to whether a regular sized bottle or a magnum is better for cava, so if anyone does know the answer do let me know in the comments below as I’m keen to find out!


And so the day drew to a close. We were delighted with our very special gift of a bottle of late harvest vinegar, which we managed to get home safely and is an absolutely incredible addition to any salad dressing! 

Quite a view!

 

Many thanks to Nadal for being such wonderful hosts and giving us the opportunity to become so immersed in Catalonian food and wine culture. 

 

It was a magical experience that will certainly stay with me for a long time and will be influencing my purchasing decisions on future trips to Catalonia! (Future trips which I now can’t resist making…) 

 

And of course the biggest moltes gracies must go to Xavi for his generosity in devoting so much of his precious time to us that day.

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