Masters: The pioneering winery reaches its "first centenary" in a strong way after having been on the brink of collapse.

Saint Julian of RamisThis story begins in 1312. Or at least that's the year in which the first documents attest that the Mestres family owned a vineyard in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and traded grain and wine. More than 700 years later, and 30 generations later, they're still producing, and for 100 years they've been making one of the cavas most beloved by wine connoisseurs. Of course, getting here hasn't been easy.

The world of cava wouldn't be what it is today if it hadn't been for Maestros and their pivotal role. Specifically, in two milestones that would change everything. The beginning of the sparkling adventure was the work of Josep Mestres Manobens, who in 1925 decided to embrace the sparkling wine as it was vinified by the French. The first bottle was released in 1928. Since he didn't like sugar, "it wasn't even put in the coffee," explains Joan Aura, owner and manager of Mestres. So Joan Mestres Manobens began making a few bottles of what he called "vin solo," meaning he didn't add expedition liqueur. This "vin solo" ended up being Visol, the first brut nature, which they registered with the patent office in 1948. This cava, which wasn't sweet, was perfect to accompany food. Here begins a love affair with gastronomy that still burns brightly.

But there would be another registration at the patent office that would be even more famous. In 1960, to certify the quality of these sparkling wines, they coined the term "elaborado en cava," which is the origin of the word that has ended up differentiating us and dividing our existence between "when we call it champagne" and the present day. By the time this happened, another generation had already arrived: that of Antonio Mestres Sagués. "A mad genius," in the words of sommelier Pitu Roca. He was a great innovator, a defender of long aging, a great chemist, a visionary. "A magician and an alchemist," the family adds. But he was also a disastrous businessman. You can't have everything.

"We've made a virtue of every problem."

Paradoxically, the person who laid the foundation for Mestres cavas to be top-quality and project a future of excellence was also the person who compromised the winery to the point of being auctioned off. When this was about to happen, he raised the alarm to the family. It was his sister Elena's son-in-law, Joan Aura, who came to the rescue. "We've made a virtue of any problem," says Aura, who came from the textile world of Terrassa. "Only I know what I found," he explains, referring to the debts at that time. Far from being the end of the winery, it was the beginning of a new chapter.

One day, Jaume Vial, who had worked for wineries like Moët Chandon, came to see him. He had tasted Maestros at a fair and said, "You make a very good product, but it's not where it should be." Aura asked him what their success in finding their rightful place depended on. "On whether you sign me," Vial replied. And, as Joan Aura explains, he signed him because they hit it off instantly and because "the people of Girona are good people."

Among many other measures, Vial proposed that cava no longer be sold in supermarkets. A risky move that paid off. Now it can only be purchased in specialty stores. Maestros produces around 150,000 bottles annually, and it's important to keep in mind that they spend many years aging. Long aging is a business "of patience," says Aura. "You have to be somewhat naive and irresponsible," he jokes about being in this business. "I got in because of the family history. I'm happy because the effort has been more than returned with happiness. Seeing the people who have come here today is priceless," he explained from Sant Julià de Ramis.

His son, David Aura, is ready to gradually take over. A natural, slow, and serene change. He was in charge of welcoming everyone to the unique celebration held in Sant Julià de Ramis to celebrate "the first hundred years" of Mestres, as he put it. The event took place at Esperit Roca, and a unique menu was served, prepared by chefs of the caliber of Joan Roca, Gastón Acurio, Paolo Casagrande, Elena Arzak, Albert Adrià, Hideki Matsuhisa, and Carlos Casillas. All of them created dishes that paired incredibly well with bottles of Mestres cava. Four generations had been necessary to make the bottles opened in Girona possible. And this is also the legacy of Maestros. "If anything excites me, it's doing work that can be shared across generations," said David Aura in his speech, which was attended by his grandmother Elena, his mother, and his father. Thirty generations later, the Maestros are still here, and with the vigor of the rising bubbles.