Freixenet
Encyclopedia
Freixenet is a Cava producer in Spain, located west of Barcelona
in Catalonia
. Cava is a sparkling wine produced in Spain
.
Freixenet was started after the union of two Spanish families with a lengthy history in winemaking: the Ferrers, owners of La Freixeneda, a 12th-century farming estate in Sant Quintí de Mediona in the Alt Penedès
, and the Salas, winemakers since 1830 and the founders of Casa Sala, a wine exporter to Latin America
, in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Dolores Sala Vivé, the granddaughter of the founder of Casa Sala, married Pedro Ferrer Bosch of La Freixeneda. This era saw the gradual loss of Spain’s colonies and grape production diminishing due to the phylloxera
plague that had destroyed red grape vines across Europe. Inspired by the success of Champagne, Codorníu and others encouraged vineyard owners to replant with white grape varieties like Macabeu, Parellada
and Xarel·lo
to use for sparkling wine production. These grapes are still the primary grapes of Cava today though some producers are experimenting with the use of the Champagne wine grapes of Chardonnay
and Pinot noir
.
As a result, the newlyweds joined forces with Dolores' father to switch the focus of the Sala family business to sparkling wines made under the traditional method, or méthode Champenoise. The name comes from La Freixenada – a family wine producing estate located in the Alt Penedès
region since the 13th Century.
In 1941, Freixenet launched its leading product, the Carta Nevada. In 1974, the company achieved international success with another cava, the Cordon Negro. Nowadays Freixenet offers public tours of the winery in which both cavas are produced; visitors are shown the underground cellars and the bottling plant before tasting the finished product. The winery is situated opposite the main train station in the Catalonian village of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
. Around 95% of Spain's total Cava production is from Catalonia and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is home to many of Spain's largest production houses.
The brand is well known because of the Christmas spots. Every year, a celebrity is invited to star in the 2-minutes spot and congratulate the Christmas of all the people.
company taps into a world-famous celebrity to be the face of its much-awaited Christmas TV commercial. Shakira
became the face in 2010, other celebrities who have appeared in Freixenet's Christmas sparkling wine include Antonio Banderas
, Sharon Stone
, Demi Moore
, and Kim Basinger
.
Freixenet is the main sponsor of the roller hockey (quad)
team, Club Esportiu Noia
, that usually competes in the main spanish league
and also European Competitions:CERH European League and CERS Cup
. Due to this sponsorship agreement the name of the team is CE NOIA Freixenet.
Freixenet is also the official cava of the MotoGP World Championship
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. Cava is a sparkling wine produced in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Freixenet was started after the union of two Spanish families with a lengthy history in winemaking: the Ferrers, owners of La Freixeneda, a 12th-century farming estate in Sant Quintí de Mediona in the Alt Penedès
Alt Penedès
Alt Penedès is a comarca in Catalonia, northern Spain. The capital is Vilafranca del Penedès.-Municipalities:*Avinyonet del Penedès - pop. 1334*Les Cabanyes - pop. 603*Castellet i la Gornal - pop. 1562*Castellví de la Marca - pop. 1497...
, and the Salas, winemakers since 1830 and the founders of Casa Sala, a wine exporter to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Spain, and the centre of production of a sparkling wine known as cava. It is situated in the north-east of the Penedès Depression at the confluence of the Avernó river and the Anoia river...
.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Dolores Sala Vivé, the granddaughter of the founder of Casa Sala, married Pedro Ferrer Bosch of La Freixeneda. This era saw the gradual loss of Spain’s colonies and grape production diminishing due to the phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
plague that had destroyed red grape vines across Europe. Inspired by the success of Champagne, Codorníu and others encouraged vineyard owners to replant with white grape varieties like Macabeu, Parellada
Parellada
Parellada is a white grape variety of Catalan origin specially grown in Catalonia. With Macabeu and Xarel·lo, is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava, which is primarily produced in Catalonia...
and Xarel·lo
Xarel·lo
Xarel·lo is a white grape variety of Spanish origin specially grown in Catalonia. With Macabeu and Parellada, is one of the three traditional varieties used to make the sparkling wine Cava...
to use for sparkling wine production. These grapes are still the primary grapes of Cava today though some producers are experimenting with the use of the Champagne wine grapes of Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
and Pinot noir
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
.
As a result, the newlyweds joined forces with Dolores' father to switch the focus of the Sala family business to sparkling wines made under the traditional method, or méthode Champenoise. The name comes from La Freixenada – a family wine producing estate located in the Alt Penedès
Alt Penedès
Alt Penedès is a comarca in Catalonia, northern Spain. The capital is Vilafranca del Penedès.-Municipalities:*Avinyonet del Penedès - pop. 1334*Les Cabanyes - pop. 603*Castellet i la Gornal - pop. 1562*Castellví de la Marca - pop. 1497...
region since the 13th Century.
In 1941, Freixenet launched its leading product, the Carta Nevada. In 1974, the company achieved international success with another cava, the Cordon Negro. Nowadays Freixenet offers public tours of the winery in which both cavas are produced; visitors are shown the underground cellars and the bottling plant before tasting the finished product. The winery is situated opposite the main train station in the Catalonian village of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia
Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is a municipality in the comarca of the Alt Penedès in Spain, and the centre of production of a sparkling wine known as cava. It is situated in the north-east of the Penedès Depression at the confluence of the Avernó river and the Anoia river...
. Around 95% of Spain's total Cava production is from Catalonia and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is home to many of Spain's largest production houses.
The brand is well known because of the Christmas spots. Every year, a celebrity is invited to star in the 2-minutes spot and congratulate the Christmas of all the people.
Marketing
Each year, this CavaCava (Spanish wine)
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine of Denominación de Origen status, most of which is produced in Catalonia. It may be white or rosé. The macabeu, parellada and xarel·lo are the most popular and traditional grape varieties for producing cava...
company taps into a world-famous celebrity to be the face of its much-awaited Christmas TV commercial. Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
became the face in 2010, other celebrities who have appeared in Freixenet's Christmas sparkling wine include Antonio Banderas
Antonio Banderas
José Antonio Domínguez Banderas , better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer...
, Sharon Stone
Sharon Stone
Sharon Vonne Stone is an American actress, film producer, and former fashion model. She achieved international recognition for her role in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct...
, Demi Moore
Demi Moore
Demi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
, and Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
.
Freixenet is the main sponsor of the roller hockey (quad)
Roller hockey (Quad)
Roller Hockey is a team sport that enjoys significant popularity in a number of Latin countries. Depending on territories, it is also known as Hóquei em Patins, International Style Ball hockey, Rink Hockey or Hardball Hockey. Roller Hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer...
team, Club Esportiu Noia
Club Esportiu Noia
Club Esportiu Noia or just CE Noia Freixenet is a professional roller hockey team based in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Catalonia...
, that usually competes in the main spanish league
OK Liga
The OK Liga is the Spanish rink hockey league and is widely regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. Since 2009 it includes also a women's league.-Champions by year:-Performance by club:...
and also European Competitions:CERH European League and CERS Cup
Cers Cup
The CERS Cup is an annual European roller hockey club competition organized by CERH, the European Rink Hockey Committee, since 1980. It is the second most important club competition and it features teams who could not enter the European League. It is played in a knockout format, where each team...
. Due to this sponsorship agreement the name of the team is CE NOIA Freixenet.
Freixenet is also the official cava of the MotoGP World Championship
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...