With an annual output of 40,000 bottles, most of them sparkling wines, this producer is the equivalent of a grower Champagne in Catalonia. Xavier Bernet and his partner Cristina decided to stop selling grapes from the family vineyards to a big local cooperative and set up on their own. “It wasn’t worth the money. We barely manage to to pick 1,800 kg of grapes in one morning,” Xavier explains. Their first sparkling wines were released in 2005.
Xavier and Cristina only rely on their own grapes. The grow seven hectares divided in small plots on the hills of the Ordal mountains, which are the natural continuation of the Garraf Massif inland in the province of Barcelona -the terrain here is quite rugged compared with the standard in the area. The vineyards are organically certified since the 2016 vintage.
In 2018 they joined Corpinnat, the association of top sparkling producers from Penedès that left the DO Cava. This has helped to sell their wines beyond the local market, which are currently available in Denmark, UK, Switzerland and the US. Nevertheless, the family still sells directly to consumers at the cellar as they want to remain true to their origins. As Xavier says, “we are wine growing professionals, not distribution experts.”
The wines
The range has been reorganised, replacing the former brand names with references to specific sites and vineyards. Ú (€17, aged for 18 months on lees), made from the youngest Xarel·lo vines, now features Serres d’Ordal on the label, emphasising the Penedès region where the family works. Exum, another key Xarel·lo-based sparkling wine, has been renamed Feixes de la Font (€19), while 60x40, previously named after its Chardonnay (60%) and Xarel·lo (40%) blend, is now Marges del Mas (€25, aged for 36 months). The rosé Exsum has undergone a complete transformation. Formerly made with Xarel·lo Vermell, it now includes Garnacha Tinta in the blend. The new name, Camí dels Vidriers (€23, aged for 18 months), reflects this evolution.
Among the long-aged sparkling wines, Barraca dels Coscons (formerly 130, aged for over 75 months, €28) stands out for its creaminess and well-integrated bubbles. In exceptional vintages, this wine is aged even longer and becomes the top cuvée, María Bernet (€55) —a serious and complex sparkling wine that remarkably retains its freshness. According to Xavier Bernat, the Ordal Mountains provide a reliable source of acidity in the Penedès.
Disgorgement dates are printed on all the labels. Moreover, the family makes sure that the sparkling wines they sell in the cellar have been disgorged within the previous three weeks.