Picture of Mas Rabassa



Mas Rabassa is the name of an ancient estate, more than 400 years old, located in Alt Penedès (Barcelona - Catalunya - Spain), township of Olerdola.

It is surrounded by 30 Hectares of vineyards, wheat fields and pine forest that conform the property of the same name.

Presently, Mas Rabassa has gained a reputation for the culture of vines and the production of high-quality Cava and wines.






The wines and Cava made by Mas Rabassa


Caves


For the elaboration of our wines and cava, we exclusively use grapes from our own vineyards. Everything, from winemaking to bottling, is done on the estate.

The total yearly production will never exceed 50.000 bottles of the wines we will comment below in more detail:


Mas Rabassa Gran Blanc:

A dry, white wine made from the following grape varieties: Macabeu (85%) and Xarel-lo (15%).

The result of this blend, which can vary according to the year, is a very fruity, delicate and aromatic wine with a moderate alcohol content of 10 - 10,5 % vol.

In order to really enjoy this wine, we advise to drink it on its own, or together with fruit or other delicate dishes which will not overpower the fine aromatic delicacy of this wine.


Mas Rabassa Xarel-lo:

A monovarietal white wine made exclusively from Xarel-lo grapes, which are of Catalonian origin and truly representative of the Penedes region.

This is a wine with a strong personality, very fresh and moderately fruity, with an alcohol content of 11 - 11.5 % vol.

It is an excellent companion to mild-flavoured dishes: Salads, pasta, white meats, fish and shellfish, soft cheeses, ...


Mas Rabassa Cava Brut Nature:

Cava (sparkling wine), made with blend of Macabeu and Xarel-lo (proportions may vary, depending on the year).

Has a very intense "bouquet", where we can appreciate the perfect harmony between the delicacy of the Macabeu and the energy of the Xarel-lo.

The bubbles are extremely small, not in the least aggressive and very present without being intrusive.

Mild, very dry and with moderate acidity, it has an alcohol content ranging between 11,5 and 12% vol.

Its versatility allows it to be drunk at any time and on almost every occasion: drink it on its own, day or night, or enjoy it with nearly every kind of dish, regardless of its flavour.






Wine-making methods


Antique pressing-method


In making our wines, we have succeeded in combining the best elements from ancestral wine-making traditions with the most modern, up-to-date technical developments.

We have done our utmost to respect the natural environment and the natural transformation processes of grape juice into wine.

Our goal is to help nature only when needed.


Wines:

As stated, all our wines and Cavas are exclusively made with grapes we have produced ourselves on our own estate.

The nearness to the vineyard and the way the grapes are transported to the winery (in small boxes) immediately after being picked, ensure that the grapes will reach the winery in the best possible condition.

After reception, the grapes receive no treatment and are crushed, slowly and gently, in a horizontal winepress in order to extract the best possible juice.

Fermentation takes place with selected yeast cultures and is temperature controlled, in order to mantain the finest possible flavours in our wines.

Afterward, the wine is racked and with the help of the winter cold, the wine is fined and practically stabilizes without any aggresive and chemical treatments.

Bottling takes place in spring, and the bottles will remain a minimum of 6 months in our bodega in order to allow the wine to attain full maturity.


Cava:

Part of the harvest - the part destined for Cava - will also be bottled in spring, but not before being prepared in such a way as to cause a second fermentation in the hermetically closed bottle. (Traditional Champagne method).

This second fermentation takes place in our underground cellars, far away from possible vibrations, noise, light and sudden changes of temperature. Here the bottles will remain for a period of between 18 and 36 months (or even more), whatever is needed to obtain a well matured Cava.

Afterwards, the wine is fined, dosed, corked and capsulated - and ready to drink.






Quality Awards


Quality-award


After implementing these new winemaking techniques in 1981 in order to attain the best possible quality, and notwithstanding the fact that we disagree fundamentally with wine tasting competitions, we presented our wines for several years at the "Concurs Seleccio de Vins del Penedes".

This event is organized annually by the "Academia de Tastavins Sant Humbert" with the cooperation of the "Consell Regulador de la Denominacio d'Origen Penedes" (the organization that forms the legal framework for winemaking in our region).

The results were as shown below, from 1982 till 1989:

2 first prizes - gold medal
4 second prizes - silver medal
2 third prizes - bronze medal

We also wanted to get international approval, and to that intent we presented our wines at the 9º Concorso Enologico Internazionale in Milano (Italy), where we were awarded the gold medal in the category of white wines.








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