Summer Bubbles in Spain with Helen Benefield-Billings
August 03, 2023 | By Helen Benefield-Billings
It was a gloriously clear and warm June morning as we pulled into the immaculate grounds of Freixenet just outside of Barcelona. They have been creating celebrated Spanish cava sparkling wines since 1914. This extraordinary family run business shines the light brightly onto the distinctive art of crafting bubbles in Spain.
We fully enjoyed a tour of the historic Freixenet Cellars. Built in 1923 by architects Joan Torras and Josep Ros, the cellars have become pioneers for their innovation in the cava production process, while preserving the essence of their artisan origins. We traveled 32 meters down into the depths of the cellars where millions of bottles are delicately stored at optimum cool temperatures before being shipped worldwide. In 2021, Freixenet reached an incredible milestone with global sales of 100 million bottles.
Our brilliant host for the morning was Jep Bargallo I Torres, Wine Educator, PR & Brand Ambassador. He has a wealth of knowledge and provided us with a unique insight into the fascinating history of Freixenet and the ways in which the various cava sparkling wines are produced.
At the tour’s conclusion we were treated to an extensive tasting on the courtyard patio area accompanied by marvelous Spanish tapas perfectly paired to complement each cava varietal presented.
My personal favorites were Cuvee’ D.S. 2017 Gran Reserva Cava Brut and Freixenet Ice Rose’ Cuvee Especial
“Freixenet has consistently sparkled in On-Premise national and strategic accounts, always renowned for its high quality and exceptional value. Freixenet offers the complete range of Cava styles and price points from Blanc de Blancs to Carta Nevada, to the iconic black bottle – Cordon Negro. In terms of sizes, 187ml splits remain extremely popular and offered across the whole range of Cavas, we have seen our top customers gravitate towards Freixenet because with such a range to offer, it’s easy to find a style, price point and size to fit almost any customer’s needs. For example, Chili’s was recently looking to add sparkling wine to their menu nationally for the first time ever, and we were able to help develop this new category with them with our Freixenet Carta Nevada 187ml.
Freixenet always excels at Brunch and as a go-to Mimosa pour in restaurants and bars, and as a staple offering in the Banquet and Catering arena. As an example, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants has had great success with Freixenet Blanc de Blancs in their “Bubbles and Brunch” menu. We are also very excited to be introducing many new innovative wines from Freixenet to the On-Premise market such as Freixenet Prosecco, Freixenet Asti, the Alcohol-Removed Sparkling and even the new still-wines such as Freixenet Pinot Grigio and Freixenet Rosé.”
– Mark Gmur CWE, President & Founder, The Mark Wine Group,
Freixenet’s California based sister winery, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards, is located in Carneros, Sonoma.
Helen Benefield-Billings, in the Mix Travel Writer
Helen has written countless articles for in the Mix on travel and hospitality, displayed in her past article series titled, “Making the Rounds with Helen Benefield Billings.” Helen’s love of travel and the finer things in life is shared by her husband, Don Billings, Founding Partner of IMI Agency.
