AUS Bruant Brut Nature, ungeschwefelt

The AUS Bruant Brut Nature 2022 is an unsulfited sparkling wine made from pure Pansa Blanca, created by Mireia Pujol-Busquets for the Celler de les Aus line. Brut Nature is meant literally here: no dosage, not a gram of sugar added after fermentation. In the glass it stays wild and vibrant, with pear and yeast as its core accord. A wine that shows sparkling wines without added sulfites can have depth and longevity.

Alta Alella lies in the Serralada de Marina Natural Park, two kilometers from the Mediterranean and fifteen from Barcelona's Ramblas. The vines grow at 100 to 220 meters altitude on Sauló, a sandy granite soil: acidity-driven, almost free of limestone, with perfect drainage. The estate's yields stay below 6,000 kilograms per hectare.

Single-varietal Pansa Blanca, the local Alella name for Xarel·lo. Fermentation begins in the must and finishes in the bottle following the Méthode Ancestrale, with no added sulfites whatsoever. 15 to 24 months on the lees shape the pastry notes. 12% vol.

Lean and racy. Yeasty pastry, shortcrust and butterscotch meet apricot, mirabelle plum and peach, alongside almond and cashew, cinnamon and white pepper, dried sage and thyme. The carbonation carries the wine without dominating, the minerality stays chalky, and the finish is long and dry.

Oysters and seafood, grilled sea bass or gambas al ajillo. Equally good with creamy goat cheese and jamón ibérico, or simply as an aperitif.

Celler de les Aus was founded in 2012, named after the birds that nest in the natural park (aus means bird in Catalan). All wines in the line are made without added sulfites. Alta Alella has farmed organically since acquiring the Can Genís estate in 1991 and produced Spain's first sulfite-free Cava in 2006.