Can a rum be good enough to sip on its own like you might a scotch or tequila?

Brugal Rum thinks so, and I spent the past week in the Dominican Republic, home of Brugal, experiencing how. I say experience instead of simply saying I tasted or learned about Brugal, because to be a part of Brugal, tasting the product, meeting the people (many who are 4th and 5th generation, or have been with the company 30+ years), and understanding the process is so much more than simply seeing how their product is made. It was the joyful culmination of the Dominican Republic spirit, as the country, the culture, the tradition, the people, the plentiful sugar cane, and the stunning waters of the Caribbean are as much a part of Brugal as the rum. As they say, “it is a country where conversations start with a bottle in hand and not a cell phone.”  I was an invited guest of the company to see first hand how this spirit is made, traveling from one end of the country to the other to experience Brugal.
Brugal is a company dedicated to mastering the creation of what they proudly say is the best, and driest, rum in the world. It is the most important element of Brugal.

When you think rum, “dry” isn’t usually the idea that comes to mind, it is a spirit made from sugar cane after all. But, through multiple distillations and very close product control, Brugal has managed to create an ultra light rum, which also means its base alcohol level is ultra high (95%) and thus ultra dry. It is also the only rum product in the country to be made completely in the D.R., starting in the city that is as known as much for their professional baseball players as they are for their sugar cane, San Pedro de Macorís, the home of Sammy Sosa, George Bell, Robinson Cano, our own Alexi Ogando, relief pitcher for the Rangers, and lots and lots of sugar cane.

Founded by Andres Brugal Montaner, Brugal has been making their crisp and clean rum since 1888 when the Spanish born Montaner immigrated from Spain to Cuba and eventually the D.R., setting up his home in Puerto Plata where the company headquarters remain today. Originally the product wasn’t as dry as it is today, but modern technology changing from cooper stills to column distillation tanks allowed them evolve to creating this clean, dry beverage that has made Brugal the number one rum from the Dominican Republic.

Why so dry?  Brugal is focused on ensuring that the rum that goes into their oak casks, mostly medium toast white American oak that has been previously used for Bourbon, is completely flavor free. A dry rum is not sweet, it is ultra light and relatively free of aromas except for hints of floral and citrus notes.  Creating a clean alcohol will allow easy absorption of the flavors and aromas the oak gives off, instead of just being sweet.

Hand harvesting sugar cane.

The process is detailed, but relatively simple, just like making any spirit. You start in the fields harvesting the plentiful sugar cane available in and around San Pedro de Macorís, in the Southern part of the country. Brugal doesn’t own the sugar cane fields, but they have an exclusive agreement with the farmers for their molasses. Sugar cane grows all year, which means it can be harvested all year, and rejuvenates itself without replanting. It can be harvested after 7 months, but most farmers wait about 9 months until the sugar cane is 10-12 feet high. Though mechanical harvesting is becoming increasingly popular due to the economics of it, but hand harvested sugar cane, chopping the sugar cane at the base with a machete, is best for the plant and its reproduction, as well as the product, as the juiciest sugar is located at the base of the plant where most mechanical harvesters can’t get to. After harvest the sugar cane is moved to the sugar refineries to be made into crystallized sugar.

Fresh molasses created from Dominican sugar cane.

The bi-product of this is molasses. The sugar companies can’t use this, so the rum companies benefit as the base molasses product will eventually be turned into rum after fermentation, distillation and aging. The fermentation and distillation process takes about 45 total hours, with fermentation lasting 36-40 hours. This is where Brugal sets themselves a part from some rum producers, with a double distillation,  first to 90% alcohol, then a second distillation to 95% alcohol.  The Brugal facility in San Pedro can make up to 75,000 liters of 95% alcohol each day.

The process is continual and consistent, even during the rainy season (about 3 months starting in mid-June or July) when the sugar cane factories stop running because the fields are too muddy to harvest. During this time Brugal will process molasses they hold in reserve, keeping their distillation plant running throughout the year.  At the end of the distillation the alcohol is sent in trucks to Puerto Plata for aging and bottling.  An average of two semi-trucks are sent each day.

Rum filled Brugal trucks arriving in Puerto Plata for aging and bottling.

By law, the rum has to be aged in barrels for at least one year. Brugal ages even their lightest rums slightly more than this, with their premium 1888 and Siglo de Oro Rums aged 14-16 years, using a double barrel aging technique where the rum is first aged in American white oak for 6-8 years, then transferred to either Sherry oak casks or different American oak casks for another 4-8 years, then blended, stabilized and filtered before bottling.  The result, an ultra smooth spirit which tastes light and refreshing, without a high alcohol burn or excessive sweetness.  Unfortunately the Siglo de Oro is not available in the U.S.; happily the 1888 became available in October of 2011.

Each Brugal barrel is tagged with a sheet from the government noting when the barrel went into the warehouse, how long it should age, etc.

Each step of this is closely managed by both the team at Brugal, as well as the government, as the regulations on the creation of rum, the aging process, barrels used, etc. in the Dominican Republic are closely watched and taxed by their government.  The government actually holds the keys to the warehouses where Brugal rum is aged; they lock the doors when the rum goes in and do not open them until the agreed upon time frame for aging has reached completion.  Even the Brugal Master Blenders are not allowed in to check the casks; my group was given special access just to see the room where the casks are aged for our trip, but our time was limited and obtaining permission was nearly impossible.  This regulation ensures the standards set out within the rum industry are upheld by all.

Don Fernando and Don Guillermo

After visiting the distillation facility in Sn Pedro and then traveling to Puerto Plata for the tour of the aging and bottling facility we had an opportunity to taste through the Brugal portfolio of rums with two of the 4th generation Brugal Master Blenders, Don Fernando Ortega Brugal and Don Guillermo Abbott Brugal, and one 5th generation, Jassil L. Villanueva, still in the midst of her training.  Our tasting started with their Blanco, their Anejo, their Extra Viejo and finally the 1888.

Double filtered, the 40 proof Blanco is the perfect accompaniment to a Cuba Libre (rum and coke) or Santa Libre (rum and lemon-lime soda) both with a squeeze of lime over ice. In early summer a new white rum will be introduced to the U.S. called Especial Exra Dry, triple filtered, clean and incredibly smooth this was enjoyed simply with a splash of club soda and a few limes.  If a vodka soda is your drink of choice give this a try when it hits the market, it may turn you into a rum drinker.  It turned me into one.

The Anejo is a great option for those looking for a rounder, more flavorful rum that is perfect for mixing with pineapple or mango juice with a splash of coconut water for a cocktail that will instantly transport you to your favorite beach.  Aged 2-5 years the spice notes of the oak mixed with orange peel and toast mingle throughout the smooth rum.

When Brugal made their Extra Viejo in 1976 they joined the club of premium rum brands, which has been further extended by their 1888 and Siglo de Oro.  The Extra Viejo is aged 3 to 8 years, giving a rich amber color with aromas of orange peel, spice, vanilla and almond.  The ideal way to enjoy the flavors of this rum is sipping over ice with an orange twist allowing the citrus and floral aromas of the rum to pop, with notes of toasted brioche, vanilla and baking spice on the finish.

Brugal 1888 rum was first introduced in 1988 as a centennial rum celebrating the 100th anniversary of Brugal. Though the Maestros, including Don Guillermo and Don Fernando, knew this was a special product they wanted to do more, eventually relaunching the product that we have today, a rum that is aged first in American oak for 6-8 years then in oak casks previously used for Oloroso Sherry for another 4-6 years, creating a flavor profile that reminds you more of a cognac or a scotch than a rum.  Filled with raisins, orange blossoms, chocolate, toast and coffee the 1888 verifies that a rum can be made for sipping, perfect served neat or over ice.

Kids at the George Arenzo Brugal Educational Center created by the Brugal Foundation

Creating great rum isn’t the only thing important to Brugal, as the people, the culture, the traditions and the country are also a big part of the company, so much so that they started a non-profit foundation funded by annual contributions from profits made by Brugal and by members of the Brugal family to help improve the quality of life in the Dominican Republic.
We had an opportunity to visit the George Arzeno Brugal Education Center in Puerto Plata, dedicated to Brugal’s late president and dedicated to educating, mentoring and guiding children from a relatively poor part of the city to ensure they have the best chance of future success in the country.  The kids were adorable, and the teachers were gracious and kind, like many I met throughout the week.  This was my first visit to the Dominican Republic; it won’t be my last.

Slow poached cod with sous-vide artichokes and spring peas in olive oil from Chef Isma Prados

In simplest terms, the ideal way to enjoy a glass of wine is paired with the cuisine of the region the wine is from. In early days of wine making, wine was intended to be the drink enjoyed with food during the daily meals; even before you could safely drink water there was wine.  If you ask most winemakers, they will agree their wine is  made with thoughts of the food pairing in mind,.  Think about how “California Cuisine” was created in the heart of Napa in the 1980’s and early 1990’s by chefs like Alice Waters, Michael Chiarello, Thomas Keller and Cindy Pawlcyn who focused on local products meant to highlight the flavors of the area and pairing well with wine coming from the valley; it is also why you enjoy a hearty, beefy Malbec in Argentina while feasting on smoky, barbecued meat, pork and lamb at an afternoon Asado; why tomatoes are one of the hardest things to pair, yet Chianti is always the ideal match for pasta with marinara sauce; and why artichokes and asparagus can give a Sommelier a headache when they see them on a pairing menu except in Spain, where the ideal pairing can range from a crisp, acidic yet still fruit forward Cava or racy, dry Fino Sherry.

The idea of eating and drinking regionally is fully embraced by the Spanish culture, as was evident on my recent trip as a guest of Segura Viudas.  Wine lists were filled with selections from throughout Spain’s diverse regions paired with menus containing lavish selections of seasonal veggies, fresh seafood and shellfish, lots of pork and locally produced olive oil flavoring everything.

Chef Isma Prados

The final day of the trip was spent with Chef Ismael Prados touring the Barcelona Mercat de Sant Josep de la Bouqueria, one of the oldest open markets in the country dating back to 1217; followed by a four-course cooking class upstairs at the market with the chef and his team of fellow cooks.

Chef Isma is a rock star among Spain’s celebrity chefs, often referred to as the Jamie Oliver of Catalonia. He is a cookbook author, former star of several popular television cooking shows including “Cuina X Solters”(Cooking for Singles) and “La Cuina de l’Isma” (Isma’s Kitchen,) and soon to be restaurateur who also visited Dallas last year as a featured chef with Central Market during their Spanish celebration.  And, he is charming, gracious, funny, talented, knowledgeable, fiercely proud of his roots and delightfully humble as he shook hands with fans throughout the amazing market filled with gorgeous produce, freshly baked bread, dried mushrooms, and every kind of pork, meat and fish you could want.

While walking the Bouqeria and listening to Chef Isma describe various items and purveyors I quickly got a sense of the type of chef he is, similar to some of the other chefs we had met throughout our week like young Chef Pere Massana of Divinic, a new tapas and wine restaurant in Vilafranca del Penedès.
Mainly, cook locally, cook seasonally and, perhaps most importantly, cook with respect to the ingredients.

Chef Isma notes his heritage and the heritage of all Catalan cooks when describing his cooking style, whether these cooks have been formally trained or trained at the knee of their Spanish grandmothers, the use of their local products prevails over everything else.

Arros Moli de Pals, a rice used in a baked paella style dish Isma created during our lunch came from a regional producer established in 1452; his sofrito, the common base of most dishes in Spain, was created from regionally grown onions, red peppers and tomatoes, and slowly cooked in a bath of local olive oil to a sweet, caramelized layer of local flavor; Catalan artichoke hearts bathed in fragrant olive oil, were slowly cooked sous-vide, and quickly finished in a hot pan with freshly shelled market peas; and piles of cod, squid, lobster, shrimp, clams, jumbo whole scallops, oysters, octopus, and razor clams that arrived that morning from boats docked just a few miles away at the Mediterranean Sea were tempting elements to chose from for our luncheon meal.

Preserving and honoring the heritage is as important as creating great food; but when the ingredients available need such little manipulation to be delicious, that preservation is easy.  Chef Isma noted that every region has their own way of making rice, just like every family has their own way of making their sofrito – the main tool you need for good cooking is a smart head and the best, freshest ingredients, his preferably from Catalonia.

When pairing these ingredients with the wines of the Penedes region you quickly understand why eating and drinking locally is so ideal. Chef Isma’s menus often start with the wine, pairing his flavors around what wine will be served.
For our cooking class and lunch we made a salad of huge Fresan strawberries, just in season, and spicy baby mustard greens garnished with fresh trout roe paired with the cherry, berry and spice filled Segura Viudas Brut Rose, enhancing the sweet and savory elements of the dish lifting the juicy fruit flavors of the Tanat grape based Cava.

A second course of slow poached cod throat (with a high amount of gelatin helping create the sauce) was served with the sous-vide artichokes and baby peas, finished simply with more of the beautiful, local olive oil was paired with Segura Viudas Aria Brut, the second tier, slightly more high end Cava from Segura Viudas which the multi-talented chef sabered for us. The fresh, vibrant and lively bubbly cut through some of the richness of the dish, while marrying well with the clean, spring flavors of the veggies.

Roasted blue foot chicken roulade served with the fragrant baked rice dish was served with Mas D’ Aranyo Reserva, a food friendly, slightly earthy red blend of Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, the only red still wine Segura Viudas makes and unfortunately only available in Europe.

Segura Viudas Off Dry Cava, just slightly sweet and spicy, paired well with warm baking spices in a delicate dessert of poached pears with cardamom and vanilla ice cream.

Baked paella style rice with sofrito

After the time spent with Chef Isma and his talented team, along with the delicious tastings and pairings tried throughout the week, the obvious love of wine and food permeates every element of the Spanish culture, with incredible attention given to pairing regionally.  I am not sure they are quite like some Italians I know that plan what is for lunch during breakfast and what is for dinner during lunch, but the celebration of food with wine is an honored part of their culture.

Chef Isma and his team

Foie Gras with Segura Viudas Brut Rose

A few other interesting and delicious pairings I tasted throughout the trip included poached cod with honey and pistachios served with the tropical fruit filled still white wine Segura Viudas produces from the Xarel-lo grape, Crue de Lavit; a foie gras and mushroom stuffed artichoke with the Segura Viudas Brut Rose, giving the foie the berry and spice notes it shines with; spring pea soup with shaved ham and lots of olive oil with the Segura Viudas Brut Reserva; roasted pork shoulder with Shiitake mushrooms paired with 2006 Valdubon Reserva Ribera Del Duero Tempranillo, Segura Viudas’ sister winery; simply sauteed baby squid with olive oil and pulled roasted pork tacos with pickled red onions were served with red fruit and spice filled Fra Guerau Rose from the Montsant region, another sister winery of Segura Viudas.

With flavors like these and the elevated respect given to each ingredient it is hard not to fall in love with the food, wine and the people of Spain. And, in bringing these ideas home, to enjoy the flavors of the season and to celebrate the products of our region.  To help pair your favorite foods with a light, crisp Cava Segura Viudas just launched their Discover and Share Your Perfect Pair facebook app to help create your perfect pairing. The app is available here and open to anyone over the age of 21.

As I continued on with the Cava assemblage experience, as an invited guest of Segura Viudas in the Penedes region of Spain, my traveling companions and I were introduced to Winemaker Gabriel Suberviola, who is hands on throughout this whole Cava making process for Segura Viudas. We spent day two with Gabriel, introducing himself to each of us, his students, with a warm handshake and glint of excitement in his generous eyes. Eyes that exuded wisdom….the kind of wisdom that only comes through dedication and experience.  For Gabriel, this encompasses decades of experience, three of them with the Freixenet group, owner of Segura Viudas.

Segura Viudas Winemaker Gabriel Suberviola (right) with Gloria Collell, Winemakers' Ambassador for Ferrer Family Wine Estates

A native of the Navarra region of Spain, where Gabriel grew up helping his father with their small family vineyard. Like many Spanish families, they had a small vineyard his father tended which Gabriel and his neighborhood friends would help harvest and then stomp the grapes with bare feet each year. As often happens with families that grow grapes and make wine, his childhood helped define who he would become as an adult, earning a degree in Chemical Sciences from Valencia University, and certification in Oenology and Viticulture at the School of Agronomist Engineers of Madrid, as well as the type of winemaker he wanted to be, letting the flavors of his native Spain shine through the wine he made, using varietals of Spanish origin. He joined the Freixenet Group in 1980, working in different capacities throughout the company, eventually stepping in a Head Winemaker for Segura Viudas in 1998.

During our time with Gabriel we came to quickly understand that though every step of the process of creating a wine from vine to bottle is laborous, intense and detailed, the most important piece of the elaborate puzzle happens during the assemblage. Assemblage is the time the winemaker creates the blend that will define the wine, winery, and overall brand for the year.  Though there is a general idea of what that blend will be, what percentages of each grape will be used, which of these grapes will be used (the 14 point inspection the grapes initially went through when they arrived at the winery is key here), and the overall profile of the wine, every year is different. Add in the fact that the blend is made from still wine, which still has to go through a second fermentation, aging the wine from one to five years on the lees, disgorgement and final addition of the dosage (or the original wine base with a bit of sugar), before the final product is complete.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva

Needless to say you have to be good. Gabriel has a team of tasters he works with to decide this blend, while keeping the final decision in Gabriel’s apt hands. Their goal is to create a wine that once blended tastes better than each individual wine did on its own. To do this they must rely on their skills and memory to ensure the quality of their finished product will meet these high expectations. Hundreds of different blends are created, tasted, varied, re-tasted and so on for several days, with changes often being a single percentage point more of Macabeo or 2 less percents of Xarel.lo; but the lengthy and laborious task will ensure the wine for this year will be as perfect as Segura Viudas can be., and follow the same general flavor profile the Cava has become known for.

With that Gabriel gave us a few final bits of instruction before we had our own, individual assemblage. Mainly, he said, to remember how each wine tasted on its own, which we had sampled the day before; take the properties and profile of each wine into consideration; and create a blend that tastes better than each individual wine did is on its own….and then consider that it will be turned into a Cava instead of a still wine.
With three bottles, one each of Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Paradella, three beakers and three tasting glasses, 10 individuals set out to create the perfect blend for Segura Viudas. I liked my blend, a combination of almost equal parts Macabeo and Xarel.lo with about 10% Paradella; but think it may be a better still wine than Cava. The best blend of our group came from a buyer on the trip who created a blend of over 80% Macabeo, then about 15% Xarel.lo with the slightest touch of Paradella.

Heredad Reserve Rose aging in riddling racks

As Gabriel judged our blends we toured the Segura Viudas facility, with massive fermentation tanks, an impressive bottling line, the largest lab and research area I have ever seen in a winery, and the expansive caves where bottles of Segura Viudas are sitting in their riddling racks at 45 degree angles undergoing their second fermenation.  Here bottles will be turned either mechanically or by hand to allow the yeasts to settle in the necks of the bottle prior to disgorgement. The long awaited Segura Viudas Heredad Reserve Rose also ages in the caves in riddling racks. This Rose is a new small production bottling of 100% Pinot Noir Rose for their high end Cava.

Bottling

Storing the bottled Cava in the Segura Viudas caves.

Disgorging by hand

Labeling

Using plyers to disgorge and remove the cap on a 1960's bottle of Segura Viudas.

Though we begged, Gabriel wouldn’t budge on giving us a try of this new Rose bubbly, knowing that the time wasn’t right for us to taste the new selection. Instead we toured the disgorging area in the caves to see how a bottle is disgorged, or how the yeasts are removed from the bottle after it has been aged. We saw both the modern and traditional methods, both of which seemed labor intensive, but necessary.

After the sediments from the lees have settled in the necks of the Cava bottle, the neck is frozen. Freezing the top will allow the lees to shoot out of the bottle when the temporary bottle cap top is removed. After disgorgement a small amount of wine base is added with a touch of sugar, the dosage. The bottle is then corked, labeled and ready for shipment. This is traditional, labor intense, methode champanoise style, how Champagne has been made for generations, and the only way Segura Viudas creates their Cava, making them one of the highest regarded and most refined Cava produced in Spain, with layers of flavor and complexity, and of course, all of those wonderful, tiny bubbles.

The flavors of the finished products reflect the terroir of the countryside in each sip, highlighting the rustic, earthiness of the land. The Brut Reserva, the highest production Cava Segura Viudas makes from the Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Paradella grapes and bottle aged for up to three years, is crisp, lively and aromatic with citrus and tropical fruit flavors of banana, lemon, lime and pineapple, with mineral notes mingled throughout. Very dry and very clean, a perfect pairing with briny seafood, white fish and grilled calcots (or large green onions, most similar to a mix between a leek and a spring onion) with Romesco sauce.

Grilling calcots

Toni Domenech, Public Relations Manager, Freixenet performs the art of eating calcots

Cod with dill and tomato confit and simply smoked salmon with tomato.

Segura Viudas Brut Rose is made using the same method with a combination of Trepat, an indigenous grape to Spain used most in the production of Rose Cava, with a touch of Garnacha (or Grenache in areas outside of Spain.)

Filled with layers of strawberry, ripe cherry, orange zest and raspberry with sweet spice and the slightest touch of cracked pink peppercorns, this is delicious sipped on its own or paired with grilled or smoked salmon or seafood paella.

Segura Viudas second line of Cava is Aria, modeled after the high end Reserva Heredad. The Aria Estate Brut is made from the first pressings of the Macabeo, Paredella and Xarel.lo grapes, with the final blend made up of 7 different base wines creating the 50% Macabeo, 40% Paradella and 10% Xarel.lo Cava, which is then aged a minimum of 15 months on the lees. The resulting golden colored wine is floral and fruit forward, from the high percentage of Paradella and Macabeo, filled with wild flower, honeydew and subtle citrus notes. Nicely balanced, elegant and inviting.

The Aria Pinot Noir may be my favorite of the bunch. Though not made from the traditional Spanish grapes, this bubbly is all Spain, with Gabriel’s finesse and skill clearly defined in each and every bottle. Bright raspberry and ripe red cherry aromas spill out of the glass with delicate spice and caramel notes, followed by big raspberry and strawberry flavors with just a touch of toasted nuts and dark chocolate. I enjoyed this bubbly from the start to the end of one of our dinners while in Barcelona, sipping it with everything from barely seared, creamy foie gras to fried whole calamari to my favorite bite of the trip, Chef Carles Abellan (owner of Comerc,24; Tapas 24 and Bravo 24) “Bikini” sandwich – fresh mozzarella with Iberico ham grilled on white bread with black truffles….the best grilled cheese sandwich I’ve had.

Tapas 24 Bikini sandwich

Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad is the top tier Cava produced using the very best grapes and allowed to develop in the bottle for at least four years. Hand picked and hand riddled, aged for 30 months on the lees, then “poignettage” or given a final flick of the wrist to shake the yeasts and move them one final time throughout the wine before disgorgement to ensure  an optimal flavor, complexity and character.  Toast, floral, mineral and honey notes lift from each glass of the Reserva Heredad with thousands of tiny dancing bubbles inviting the drinker to sip and savor.

Vibrant herbal notes and flavors of melon and dried tropical fruit fill the palate followed by a long, luscious and lengthy finish.  A bubbly to enjoy on any occasion, on its own, as a starter with a mound of tapas or sipped throughout a leisurely dinner.  Delicious with anything from seafood to fish to roast chicken to a simple meal of some of Spain’s favorite staples, Pan con Tomate (tomato bread), shaved Iberico ham, slices of Drunken Goat and Manchego cheese, olives, and of course, lots of olive oil.

40+ year old Macabeo vines on the Segura Viudas estate.

Spain is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, confirmed last week by the plane loads of spring breakers traveling to the country out of DFW.   I’ve just returned from a week in the Catalan region in and around Barcelona for an in depth look into the world of making Cava in the classic Methode Champanoise style from great Spanish grapes.   I was an invited guest of Segura Viudas Cava which makes approximately 400,000 cases of the bubbly a year ranging in price from around $8 a bottle to $20 a bottle; but to simply say that this is an $8 bottle of bubbly would be a severe injustice to the product that is created with dedication, respect and intense passion.

Over several days my traveling companions and I had an “assemblage” experience, learning the art of making Cava from vine to glass.  The French term “assemblage” is simply blending of several fine wines, generally from different grape-varieties, independently vinified.  However, much goes into the process before you get to the actual blend.  So the next few posts will take you through the same experience I had in learning the art of making this artisanal product in the heart of the Penedes region of Spain.

Though Segura Viudas does follow the traditional techniques of Champagne this bubbly is 100% Spanish, made from the Macabeo, Xarel.lo (pronounced “charelo”) and Paradella grapes, each adding their own flavor, finesse and structure to the wine. Macabeo is usually the predominant grape in the blend, adding the balance, body and structure to the wine while maintaining a low alcohol level; Xarel.lo is commonly the second highest percentage in the wine, adding creamy, tropical fruit notes like banana and citrus with good texture, acidity and balance, which also allows for it to be bottled on its own as a still wine; often only a small amount of Paradella is added to a Cava blend as the wine doesn’t age well, and Cava has to be aged a minimum of 9 months by law before it is released, but Paradella adds softness and spice, essential in great Cava.

By law, Cava can only come from the Penedes, and vineyard owners are allowed higher production levels when they certify their grapes will be used in Cava. There are hundreds of growers throughout the region, often small farms families have owned for generations, which keeps some of their grapes for their own consumption and sells some of their grapes off to larger production houses like Segura Viudas. About 80% of the grapes Segura Viudas uses comes from these types of growers, which makes the work of vineyard manager Sebastian so important as he not only meticulously watches over his own vines on the Segura Viudas estate, but personally works with each one of these vineyard owners to ensure the quality of the grapes they provide are up to his and the company’s standards.

Segura Viudas Estate Winery

Tasting inside the 11th Centruy Segura Viudas Winery.

And those standards are high. Founded in the 1950’s by Senior Segura in an 11th Century former military outpost with Romanesque, Gothic and Visigoth architecture, which had been transformed to a common farmhouse, or masia, known as Can Esbert in the mid 1300’s in Torrelavit, Alt Penedes, the heart of Cava country.   He had a goal to produce the very best Cava in Spain using the same equipment that was used in Champagne, and using a fresh yeast from Champagne to give his Cava a French style with toasty notes and higher acidity than other Cava produced at the time.  This yeast has become the proprietary yeast of Segura Viudas.   He began to market his product in 1969, and though the product was successful, the process for making the best became too expensive and Sr. Segura eventually had to sell the winery in 1978. The Ferrer family bought Segura Viudas in 1981 when it had been put up in a public auction, and made a commitment to respect its foundation and keep the tradition, heritage and artisanal dedication as the focus, and grow the product with this history in mind.

Segura Viudas Vineyard Manager, Sebastian Raventos, pruning the vines.

This commitment Vineyard Manager, Sebastian Raventos embraces with obvious passion and pure joy. It is inspiring to meet someone who so transparently loves his profession, dissolving the Spanish/English language barrier I had, as his body language and the enthusiastic tone in his voice fully spoke to his commitment to these vines. A combination of both trellis vineyards and spur training systems, known as goblet or bush vine systems, are planted on the Segura Viudas estate, similar to many vineyards throughout the area. Though the popular trellis system seen throughout the New World opens up an easier ability to train, prune and manage the vines mechanically, Sebastian prefers his goblet or bush vine system. Spur trained vines will often have thick, gnarled cordon branches, or arms, and are often quite old. These branches will be kept and preserved each year, with only the canes being pruned back each winter. However, the pruning of these vines has to be done by hand, so the work is long and constant, but these vines can last up to 80 years; trellised vines only last about 35, beneficial as many of these goblet vines are around 45 years old now.

Trellis Macabeo vines.

Though the vineyards and winery are not organically certified, they do work as clean as possible, focusing on the environment, with Sebastian working closely with each vineyard owner they purchase grapes from as well to make sure they are working as sustainably as possible, suggesting the pesticides they use, for ripeness control and keeping quality at the forefront, following the philosophy of Segura Viudas. He has even found a way to use the cuttings from pruned vines for biomass instead of burning the pruned vines from 61,000+ acres in Penedes each year. In addition to the sustainable practices in place, the estate is also home to thousands of trees, birds, animals and insects all good for the vineyards.

Sebastian and winemaker Gabriel Suberviola can tell at bud break in the spring when they will harvest, pretty much nailing their timing on the head year after year. They are able to do this due to logs Sebastian has kept since the early 1990’s, along with watching current trends. Harvest used to start in mid-September and grapes did not grow above 550 meters; now harvest starts mid-August and vines can grow up to 800 meters above sea level. If ever there was evidence of global warming, just look at the vines.

Whether is be August or September, the pace is intense and lengthly. Harvest can last up to 50 days, with over 1 million kilos of grapes received at the winery each day. As grapes arrive they immediately go through processing where they are classified using 14 different quality parameters. As many growers find when they reach the winery, higher quantity doesn’t necessarily mean a better paycheck; quality is always the most important consideration and careful regulations ensure that each and every grape that Segura Viudas purchases will help create their award winning and always highly regarded Cava.

Golden pineapple sticky cake with gold-dusted chocolate talon

Last night, I schmoozed with some Dallas media people at Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck for a complimentary sampling of its Chinese New Year’s menu. Big D foodies like Teresa Gubbins, Steven Doyle, Jennifer (RealPoshMom), and the nice lady from foodbitch (I swear you said your name was “Katie,” but your blog says “Rachel.”) busted out their phone cameras the second after Executive Chef Patton Robertson finished introducing each course. Photos of the five courses happily lodging inside my intestines have already been posted on several different blogs, so there’s no point rehashing all the deets. I’d just like to add this little bit: the lobster dumpling had a thicker skin than I’m used to, yet the golden pineapple sticky cake made the whole elevator ride up to Five Sixty completely worth it for someone with baby acrophobia.

Jump because you’re hungry and you know it.

Loup de mer with lemon and black pepper sauce

It’s a pricey prix fixe at $125 per person ($175 with wine pairings), but, hey, Chinese New Year only comes once a year. Reserve your table before this menu is gone on February 3.

Chef’s amuse
Gulf shrimp springroll & egg drop soup

1st Course: Fire Dragon
Wok-fired lobster dumplings and XO chili sauce

2nd Course: Water Dragon
Roasted loup de mer with preserved lemon & black pepper sauce

3rd Course: Wood Dragon
Apple wood smoked Peking duck, Chinese mustard, and duck fried rice

4th Course: Earth Dragon
Szechuan pepper crusted filet wok fired longevity noodles

The pastry chef’s amuse:
House-made fortune cookie and tangerine sorbet
(The Cantonese word for ‘tangerine’ sounds like luck and wealth)

5th Course: Metal Dragon
Golden pineapple sticky cake black pepper ice cream, gold dusted chocolate talon

Grilled artichokes and about-to-be-grilled langostinos a la Tim Love. (Photography by Sarah Reiss)

For a debutante, last weekend’s Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival (featuring, among others, local boy Tim Love of Lonesome Dove and Love Shack) was both a figurative and literal hottie. From searing grills to humidity that felt like getting a big wet one from Mother Nature, heat was both constant companion and inspiration as foodies from all over the world tripped between the Fairmont, George Washington House, and the tony, tony Sandy Lane for demos and tastings by chefs Tim Love, Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai, Marcus Samuelsson, Anthony Giglio, and Rob Feenie.

Luckily, I took the good camera with me. Jump here for the awesome photo gallery.

Barbados is famous (and Zagat rated) for its roadside fish shacks and rum shops.

Time was tight, but I’m glad I committed to some quality time inside  Tim Love’s 100-ft. circle of fun (made even more jolly by the lubricating presence of senor Jose Cuervo) where I was introduced to another hot idea: that nearly everything — from ricotta cheese to pickles to beets – is made better by spending a little time on the plancha. Searing soft cheeses (if you can manage to keep your hands off them and let the bottom sear before you try flipping — from the back; always from the back) renders them nutty and roasty, prime for coatings and toppings (see beets and hash brown pics below).

Down the coast, tail-to-snout genius Fergus Henderson elaborated on his Jedi-master approach to assessing doneness (use the force, Luke) while oven roasting bone marrow and spinning yarns that involved his honeymoon, a sleepy wife, and a plate of trotters. Meanwhile, his assistant shaved beef heart into transparent slices, flavored it with rum and olive oil, flash grilled it, and presented the tender result with freshly grated horseradish in creme fraiche. (Henderson is one of the coolest guys around; if you do not know him already, check out his St. John Restaurant, Hotel, and Bakery next time you’re in London. He’s the only guy I know who can make a pig’s ear sandwich sound appetizing. Hey, no judgment.)

Craft’s Tom Colicchio combined roast pork and … wait for it … steamed clams in an inspiring, albeit dubious, flavor pile-up, while advocating for national childhood nutrition reform and fielding Top Chef Q&A.

At the risk of ruining a good thing, I have to mention the fish sandwich from Cuz’s beach shack that my friends and I picked up on our way to the airport. The first bite of this fried fish/fried egg/cheese/Bajan hot pepper sauce pile-up literally caused my 6 foot, 200+lb. friend Ben to well up with tears of joy. (Hey, what did I say? No judgment.) The tears of sadness came later, with the last bite.

The only thing that was not so hot: the 13-hour, two-leg travel day — an inconvenience that is about to become a distant memory thanks to American Airlines’ introduction of direct flights from DFW to Bridgetown starting Dec. 17.

Did I mention I took the good camera with me? Here’s the payoff:

Tim Love's grilled, pickled cucumbers.

Tim Love proving that you can grill ricotta. It's all in the wrist. Be patient, then flip from the back.

Et voila! Grilled ricotta over grilled beets. Sounds weird; tastes amazing.

Cuz's shack, next to the lifeguard station at Pebbles Beach (left) sells, quite possibly, the best fish sandwich on the island (right).

Leeks ready for the grill (left), Tim's can't-fail camp bread (right).

Pina coladas at Tapas restaurant (left); Tale of Two Cities parade during brunch at The George Washington House.

Tom Colicchio's clams over roast pork.

Fergus Henderson's oven-roasted bone marrow (left); the effervescent king of offal himself explains his Jedi-master approach to assessing doneness. Yes, that is a beef heart he's holding.

Tim Love's plancha-grilled cheese atop crispy hashbrowns.

Event hostess (and Travel + Leisure food editor & features director) Nilou Motamed introduces Tim Love at The George Washington House brunch cook-off.

Tom Colicchio's groupies at his cooking demo at Sandy Lane resort.

Want to join Tim Love’s circle of fun or the cult of Fergus Henderson? You’ve got plenty of opportunities both here and abroad. Look for them in 2011 at food festivals around the globe (check their respective websites for details). Or, if you find yourself  in the UK, head to Henderson’s new St. John Hotel. If Fergus and his wife Margot’s love of partying in Barbados was any indication, the hotel, and anything associated with it, should be a rockin good time.

Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Food Festival was a joint venture between Barbados Tourism and American Express Publishing’s Travel + Leisure, FOOD & WINE, Departures & Executive Travel magazines.

The island is crawling with Brits, Aussies, Canadians, and a significant contingent from good-old Texas — all here to get a first-person peek at cooking demos by Love, Craft’s Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai, tail-to-snout pioneer Fergus Henderson, and more. If the number of metal-cased knife sets on the baggage carousel at 1 am was any indication, the volume of both serious tips and fancy flourish will keep me bouncing between Sandy Lane, Whispers on the Bay, The Cliffs, and The Hilton for the next 72 hours.

But for right now, I do know when it’s time to quit (typing, that is). To prove my point, I’ll devote the next eight hours to recovering from yesterday’s 17-hour travel day with a shady chair, Sherlock Holmes, and a cabana boy late-morning cocktail.

With a schedule like this, it may be the last chance I get.