Our history
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, 1948. Mr Josep Rosell and Mr Joan Formosa embark on a new venture to create cava from the wine they are producing in their vineyards. After a few initial years in rented cellars, they acquired a site in the centre of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia in 1955, where they dug the first Rosell & Formosa cellars, the entire family lending a hand.
It is on this spot where our main cellars are still located, where the entire production process continues to be carried out by hand. You'll also find our storage cellar here, along with our offices and the disgorging (sediment removal) line.
Years later, the second generation of the Rosell and Formosa families took over the management reins. We bought a new property, the cava nova, or new cellar, where the cava production process is performed mechanically. We also opened a terrace where on weekends we offered patrons and local families the chance to tuck into charcoal-grilled meats and get to know the Rosell & Formosa cavas.
Currently the Rosell and Formosa families focus on producing cavas and no longer offer meals on the terrace, which remains closed. However, we maintain direct contact with our customers by selling cava right here in our facilities, as well as offering a cava home delivery service. Furthermore, we also offer wines from the Penedès D.O. (Denomination of Origin), in the same line of affordable, high-quality products as our cavas.
In other areas, for some years we have been selling Rosell & Formosa cavas outside Spain. We currently have distributors in different countries of the European Union.
Our cavas
Rosell & Formosa cavas are created through a careful selection of wines, of the macabeu, xarel·lo and parellada varieties for white cavas, and garnatxa and monastrell for rosé cavas.
At Rosell & Formosa we take enormous care that every single ingredient in our bottles is of the highest quality. We also take great care to select the finest coupage, make the topping up (filling of the bottles) in the best conditions, and allow our bottles to remain in the cellars all the time needed to achieve the fineness and elegance we pursue. For this reason, our cavas enjoy slow aging, during which the bottles undergo tasting and analysis to monitor their development at all times. Once the aging process is over, we only disgorge (remove the sediment from) the bottles needed to fill our customer orders. In this manner, we guarantee our cava reaches the consumers with maximum freshness, conserving all its properties for the longest time possible.
The creation process
Once the coupage has been selected, we perform the topping up. This means we put the wine into the bottle, add wine yeast and sugar to encourage the second fermentation. The bottles are placed on long racks in our cellars, where the wine matures in peace and silence; the sugar is converted into alcohol and carbonic gas... the famous cava bubbles.
Once the aging process is over, the lees produced during the second fermentation must be removed from the bottles. For this reason we place them on racks (called "pupitres"), with the neck pointing slightly downwards.
Once the aging process is over, the lees produced during the second fermentation must be removed from the bottles. For this reason we place them on racks (called "pupitres"), with the neck pointing slightly downwards.
All that now remains is to seal the bottle with its definitive cork, wire cage and capsule.
Rosell & Formosa cava is now ready to be served at your table. A prestigious, elegant, quality cava, which will set you a cut above the herd on any occasion.
Recommendations
Store your cava somewhere cool and dark, at the most stable temperature possible.
Drink your cava chilled, but not frozen. It is advisable to serve it at between 6 and 8ºC.
The ideal glass is a crystal champagne flute. We recommend you rinse and dry glasses well to appreciate their transparency and the bubbles' dance.
Avoid a noisy explosion as you open bottles because you are unnecessarily losing the gas that creates the bubbles. You should hold the bottle slightly inclined, turning the cork. The pressure will help it ease out.