I interview Manuel Raventós i Negra (Barcelona, 1947) in the library of the family estate, at Raventós i Blanc, located in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. The winery is majestic, with a circular architecture, respectful of nature and of the great oak tree, today propped up, which is the emblem of the house, of all the labels of the sparkling wines they produce. Codorníu is linked to his personal and family history, which he has studied in great depth. Manuel Raventós is a wise man, who knows the country well, from the cultivation of tomatoes and rice in the Ebro Delta, where he worked for years as an agricultural engineer, to the functioning of the economy – he worked at La Caixa (now CaixaBank) for 25 years and was part of the governing bodies of companies with shareholding participation from La Caixa, such as Abertis, Repsol or Aigües de Barcelona.

Jaume Vial Quintana (Maçanet de Cabrenys, 1959) is a highly respected figure in the world of sparkling wine. In recent years, we've known him as the head of Bodega Mestres, famous for its long aging processes. He wore the winery's colors with such pride and dedication that many people only discovered on its centenary celebration that he wasn't the owner. "I've never claimed to be the boss. I'm a professional who had the family's trust. And I'll always be grateful for that. Every job I've taken on, I've approached as a personal challenge. I took on the Mestres challenge thinking it would be my last," he explained to ARA. But it wasn't.

Christmas celebrations are full of little traditions: the aperitif that always lingers, the indispensable bowl of wine, or that toast that welcomes the new year. And each of these scenes has a common denominator: a glass of wine to accompany the moment. This guide reviews the sparkling wines from Llopart that can transform these familiar rituals into even more special memories.

If water is the drink that quenches thirst, and science says so, sparkling wine makers add that bubbles also help with that. Milestones for sparkling wines.