In the small town of Sant Fe del Penedès, which forms a triangle with Barcelona and Tarragona, the estate of Giró Ribot basks in the Catalonian landscape. Fittingly, the story of Maria Giró Ribot’s family is just as romantic as the setting. As her grandfather wasn’t the family's first-born son, under Catalan law he couldn't inherit their farm, nor their legacy of cava. Instead, he went on to marry the only daughter of a renowned spirits family in the neighboring village—and their own son, Manual Giró (Maria’s father), had a storied career in that field. In 1977, Manuel returned to Sant Fe to purchase the “Masia” (rural estate) next to the same farmhouse where his dad had been born. Señor Giró passed just 1 year later, but his children, Maria and Manuel, rediscovered their roots and began producing cava once again. Thus, although it essentially skipped a generation in their family, Maria crafts her wine today in the same location as her forefathers.

Visible from the estate and protecting the Penedès from harsh winter winds, the imposing Monserrat landmass lies just to the north of Giró Ribot. To the south, the Mediterranean Sea ensures an overall mild climate—summers aren’t too hot, which helps balance the modest annual rainfall. Loamy clay and limestone soils complete the trifecta, ensuring grapes with the perfect balance of ripeness and acidity. Additionally, in the case of Giró Ribot, a weave of traditional techniques in the field (including picking by hand and dry farming) and modern technology in the cellar (ie riddling with gyropallets) translates to delicate perlage, deep minerality, and subtle layers of mushroom and spring blossoms. Not disgorged until it is ordered, the Cava Brut is a serious méthode champenoise at a great value!