Harvey Nichols Conca del Riu Anoia Sparkling Wine 2018 75cl Harvey Nichols Conca del Riu Anoia Sparkling Wine 2018 75cl

An exciting and rebellious addition to Harvey Nichols' own label range. Freed from the shackles of Italian wine law, the Super Tuscan sparked a revolution. Made by the experts at Raventos i Blanc, this Conca del Riu Anoia looks set to do the same for Spanish sparkling wine...

A new Grand Cru of Spanish fizz and a serious challenger to Champagne, this deeply aromatic and flavoursome bubbly erupts from the glass with refreshing ocean aromas of apple pie, roasted sesame seeds, buttered toast, Amalfi lemon, cherry blossom and a whiplash of salty sea spray. An exquisite aperitif or a natural partner for fish and chips, battered halloumi, white anchovies, smoked salmon, tapas or scrambled eggs on an English muffin.

The Raventos family are a rebellious bunch. In 1872, Josep Maria Raventos i Fajjo made Spain's first sparkling wine, which became the giant Codornu. In 1986, his descendant, Josep Maria Raventos i Blanc, sold his stake in the family-owned Codornu and founded Raventos i Blanc. Following in his family's rebellious footsteps, Pepe Raventos decided to leave Cava DO in 2012, frustrated by a declining reputation, poor quality and an emphasis on quantity. He adopted the sparkling wine world's strictest regulations to create his own quality-focused appellation, Conca del Rio Anoia. He uses only native grapes and pays five times more than most Cava producers, but yields must be kept low, organic and biodynamic. His wines are aged on the lees for at least 18 months before disgorging (twice as long as most Cavas), are always vintage, and sulphur is used to the minimum extent possible - a significant tightening of rules that has resulted in wines of stunning beauty.