Gran Plus Ultra Chardonnay Brut Nature represents the exuberant expression of the chardonnay grape cultivated in the old vineyards of Codorníu in the D.O. Costers del Segre, under a continental climate -with great thermal amplitude-, and in poor and shallow soils. A versatile, complex, and elegant cava, a faithful reflection of a grape and a terroir.
Consumption features
Serving temperature
General features
Region
Grape variety
100% Chardonnay
Type of bottle
Champenoise Bottle
Barrel aging time
Aging of 15 months in rima
Capacity (cl)
75
Sugar
<3
Alcohol content (% vol.)
11.5-12
Creators' opinion
Pale yellow color with golden reflections, clean and bright. Fine bubbles that form continuous rosaries and a persistent crown over time, indicating good bottle fermentation. On the nose, soft toasted notes appear, intermingled with spring fruits: peaches and cherries, on a background of brioche and dried fruits from aging on lees. Very complex, with elegant notes and an aromatic amplitude that improves with time in the glass. On the palate, it is broad, complex, balanced, and creamy. The unctuousness of the Chardonnay grape allows this cava to be made as Brut Nature, without the addition of sugars in the expedition liqueur.
The winery
Located in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Codorníu is the oldest producer of cavas in Spain, with origins dating back five centuries. The company is the seed of one of the most important wine groups in Europe, with fifteen iconic wineries spread across Spain, Argentina, and California, as well as 3,000 hectares of owned vineyards. It is the second-largest cava producer in Spain, with an output of 45 million bottles. Until the Carlyle group acquired the majority of its shares in 2018, it was the oldest family-owned business in the country. Behind it stand 18 generations of a family of winemakers.
The modern history of Codorníu began in 1872, when Josep Raventós Fatjó, after a trip to the Champagne region, produced his first cava using three local grape varieties (macabeo, xarel.lo, and parellada) following the traditional or 'champenoise' method of double fermentation. Since then, Codorníu has been producing its cavas in a group of buildings declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument in 1976, designed in modernist style by architect Puig i Cadafalch. Codorníu exports nearly 45% of its production to almost a hundred countries worldwide.