Mas Gomà

“Kiki, you are going to LOVE this cava. It is made by a father and son, I know them well. They make organic cava, too.”  I was with Mara Calvo, owner of Glops’s Vineteria in Sitges, Spain…. We visited Mas Gomà the next day. I don't mean to sound bossy but if you should ever find yourself around Barcelona and are looking for a boutique Cava producer then a visit to Mas Gomà is a must.

Located in Les Cabanyes, Penedès the Mas Gomá estate is run by father and son team, Joan Manel Vendrell Ferret and Joan Vendrell Olivella. Joan Manel Vendrell Ferret began taking care of the vineyards at Mas Gomá when he was 12 years old. He later studied enology and worked as a winemaker until 2009 when he decided to make his own cava's from the Mas Gomà estate, where he grew up. His son, Joan Vendrell Olivella was also baptized into viticulture at a young age and went on to study business administration with a special focus on international management. He now works with his father at Mas Gomá, together they present the third and fourth generation of the Vendrell family to make wine on this estate.

To understand the story behind the Vendrell Olivella cava we have to back up a bit to 1724. This was the year the Mas Gomá estate was established. There is a small chapel, Sant Valentí, in the vineyards which can be traced back to 1135. Impressive, no? The Vendrell family has been making wine since the 16^th century but didn't become involved with Mas Gomá until the beginning of the 1900’s. The estate was owned by Josep Torres I Bages, a Catalan thinker, writer and Bishop who defended social rights and the preservation of the Catalan language. In 1916 Josep Toress I Bages died and the Vendrell family purchased the estate where Joan Vendrell Ràflos and Joan Vendrell Via added a cellar for wine production, which was used until the 1970’s. I walked around the structure last March where the old presses are still standing. Joan Vendrell Olivella told me of his wish to restore the old building as an homage to his father and grandfathers and also as a preservation of his heritage.

Mas Gomá has 20 Ha planted with Xarel-lo, Macabeo, and Parellada and produces four types of cava: Brut, Brut Nature, an organic Brut and an organic Brut Nature. These wonderful cavas come from 60 year old vines that are grown in a highly calcarious soil providing a special depth that couldn't be attained otherwise. Both father and son honor their winemaking traditions while incorporating some mechanical modernizations. Their primary focus is and will always be on producing glorious ageable cavas of a high quality while still keeping a sustainable approach to the environment.