Llopart

Llopart's winegrowing heritage extends to a 1385 document recording vineyards on the Heretat Can Llopart de Subirats, the family estate in the Subirats municipality of central Penedès. The 1385 date places Llopart among the oldest documented winegrowing estates in Spain, predating the founding of nearly all currently active Spanish wine producers and rivaling some of the oldest documented European wine estates. The modern Cava-era operation began in 1887 when Pere Llopart Vilarós produced the family's first traditional-method sparkling wine, 15 years after Josep Raventós Fatjó produced Spain's first traditional-method sparkling at Codorníu in 1872. The Llopart family has continued to manage the estate across multiple generations into the present day; the current generation includes Pere Llopart Costa and Sílvia Llopart Costa alongside additional family members in vineyard and cellar roles. The estate has consistently positioned itself at the quality end of the Penedès sparkling wine spectrum, building extended-lees aging traditions, biodynamic certification, and a founding role in Corpinnat that places Llopart alongside Gramona and Recaredo at the apex of the Penedès sparkling wine quality hierarchy.

• 1385 document records vineyards on the Heretat Can Llopart de Subirats family estate; one of the oldest documented winegrowing estates in Spain and rivaling some of the oldest in Europe.
• 1887: Pere Llopart Vilarós produced the family's first traditional-method sparkling wine, 15 years after Codorníu's 1872 pioneering work by Josep Raventós Fatjó.
• Current generation includes Pere Llopart Costa and Sílvia Llopart Costa alongside additional family members; continuous family ownership across multiple generations into the present day.
• Estate consistently positioned at the quality end of the Penedès sparkling wine spectrum; positioned alongside Gramona and Recaredo at the apex of the Penedès sparkling wine quality hierarchy.

Llopart's approximately 90-hectare estate vineyard is concentrated in the Subirats municipality of central Penedès, anchored on the Heretat Can Llopart de Subirats home property. The estate adopted organic viticulture in the early 2000s and earned biodynamic certification within the following decade, joining Gramona and Recaredo among the early biodynamically certified Penedès sparkling estates. Vineyards center on the native Penedès trio (Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Parellada) with significant Pinot Noir plantings for the Microcosmos rosé and smaller parcels of Chardonnay and additional red varieties. Soils feature calcareous limestone subsoils overlain by varied clay and sandy horizons; elevation ranges from approximately 200 to 350 meters across the estate parcels. Biodynamic protocols include cover crops, integrated livestock (sheep grazing between vines), biodynamic preparations applied per the lunar calendar, hand harvest into small crates, and complete elimination of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. The Microcosmos rosé name explicitly references the biodiverse microcosmos of the biodynamic farm including the integrated livestock, cover crops, and hedge plantings that comprise the estate's ecological framework.

• Approximately 90 hectares of biodynamic estate vineyard concentrated in the Subirats municipality of central Penedès; one of the larger biodynamic sparkling estates in the appellation.
• Soils: calcareous limestone subsoils overlain by varied clay and sandy horizons; elevation ranges 200 to 350 meters across estate parcels with mixed exposures favoring native variety ripening.
• Native Penedès trio (Xarel·lo, Macabeu, Parellada) anchors plantings; significant Pinot Noir for Microcosmos rosé; smaller Chardonnay and additional red parcels complete the variety mix.
• Biodynamic protocols include cover crops, integrated livestock (sheep grazing between vines), lunar-calendar preparations, hand harvest into small crates, and elimination of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers.

On 22 February 2019 Llopart joined eight other Penedès sparkling wine producers (Gramona, Recaredo, Torelló, Nadal, Sabaté i Coca, Mas Candí, Can Feixes Huguet, and Júlia Bernet) in formally leaving the Cava DO to launch the Corpinnat collective brand. The Corpinnat brand was registered with the EU as a collective trademark in September 2017 and commercially launched in February 2019. The nine founding producers exited Cava DO en bloc citing the appellation's failure to enforce quality standards equal to their estate ambitions. Corpinnat is not a DO but a registered EU collective brand with strict requirements: 100% organic farming, hand harvest, estate-vinified fruit, minimum 90% indigenous varieties, minimum 18 months on the lees, and territory limited to the core Penedès cluster around Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (997 km²). Llopart's wines now carry the Corpinnat designation prominently on the label, replacing the Cava DO branding used through 2018. The 2019 Corpinnat departure followed Raventós i Blanc's 2012 Cava DO exit and is widely credited with indirectly accelerating the 2020 Cava DO regulatory overhaul that introduced Cava de Paraje Calificado at minimum 36 months on the lees.

• Llopart joined 8 other producers (Gramona, Recaredo, Torelló, Nadal, Sabaté i Coca, Mas Candí, Can Feixes Huguet, Júlia Bernet) in leaving Cava DO on 22 February 2019 to launch Corpinnat.
• Corpinnat brand registered with EU as collective trademark September 2017; formal commercial launch followed Cava DO departure in February 2019; not a DO but a registered collective brand.
• Corpinnat membership requirements: 100% organic farming, hand harvest, estate vinification, minimum 90% indigenous varieties, minimum 18 months on the lees, territory limited to 997 km² core Penedès.
• The 2019 Corpinnat departure followed Raventós i Blanc's 2012 Cava DO exit and is widely credited with accelerating the 2020 Cava DO regulatory overhaul including Cava de Paraje Calificado at minimum 36 months on the lees.

Llopart's range under the Corpinnat framework spans entry, estate, and apex single-vineyard tiers. Imperial Brut Nature is the entry-tier Corpinnat sparkling: Xarel·lo-led blend with Macabeu and Parellada from estate parcels, minimum 18 to 30 months on the lees per Corpinnat requirements; the wine is widely distributed and offers an accessible introduction to the estate's biodynamic Xarel·lo-driven style. Leopardi Brut Nature Gran Reserva is the prestige extended-lees expression: Xarel·lo-Macabeu-Chardonnay blend with 5+ years on the lees, developing brioche, toasted almond, dried apricot, and saline-mineral complexity. Microcosmos is the estate's traditional-method rosé built on Pinot Noir from estate parcels; the name references the biodiverse microcosmos of the biodynamic farm. The apex Ex-Vite single-vineyard cuvée is sourced from a designated parcel on the Subirats home estate with extended lees aging; small production positions Ex-Vite alongside Gramona Celler Batlle and Recaredo Turó d'en Mota among Corpinnat single-vineyard releases. All wines maintain the 100% Brut Nature framework with zero dosage across the range.

• Imperial Brut Nature: entry-tier Corpinnat sparkling; Xarel·lo-led blend with Macabeu and Parellada from biodynamic estate fruit; minimum 18 to 30 months on the lees per Corpinnat requirements.
• Leopardi Brut Nature Gran Reserva: prestige extended-lees expression with Xarel·lo-Macabeu-Chardonnay; 5+ years on the lees; brioche, toasted almond, dried apricot complexity over saline-mineral foundation.
• Microcosmos: traditional-method rosé built on Pinot Noir from estate parcels; name references the biodiverse microcosmos of the biodynamic farm including livestock, cover crops, hedge plantings.
• Ex-Vite: apex single-vineyard cuvée from a designated parcel on the Subirats home estate; positioned alongside Gramona Celler Batlle and Recaredo Turó d'en Mota among Corpinnat single-vineyard releases.

Llopart's positioning within Corpinnat places the estate among the foundational Penedès sparkling wine quality leaders. The estate is frequently cited in industry coverage alongside Gramona, Recaredo, and Raventós i Blanc as the producers most directly responsible for the contemporary Penedès quality reputation; Leopardi Brut Nature Gran Reserva consistently scores 92 to 95 points from major publications and Ex-Vite reaches 95 to 97 points in qualifying vintages. Llopart's 90-hectare biodynamic estate scale and 1385-documented winegrowing heritage give the operation a unique combination of historical depth and contemporary sustainability leadership unmatched among Penedès sparkling estates. The Microcosmos rosé has built a strong reputation as one of Catalonia's most distinctive Pinot Noir-led traditional-method sparkling rosés, demonstrating the estate's commitment to ecological farming principles through both technical practice and brand expression. Critical recognition of Llopart's role in Corpinnat alongside Gramona and Recaredo has positioned the estate at the apex of Spain's traditional-method sparkling wine category.

• Llopart frequently cited alongside Gramona, Recaredo, and Raventós i Blanc as the producers most directly responsible for the contemporary Penedès sparkling wine quality reputation.
• Leopardi Brut Nature Gran Reserva consistently scores 92 to 95 points from major publications; Ex-Vite reaches 95 to 97 points in qualifying vintages; positions Llopart at Corpinnat single-vineyard apex.
• Unique combination of 1385-documented winegrowing heritage and contemporary biodynamic sustainability leadership unmatched among Penedès sparkling estates at the 90-hectare estate scale.
• Microcosmos rosé built strong reputation as one of Catalonia's most distinctive Pinot Noir-led traditional-method sparkling rosés; demonstrates estate's commitment to ecological farming principles in brand expression.