There are tales that commence in a stadium and culminate in a glass of wine. Few are as remarkable as that of Josep Mata Capellades, the man who transitioned from defending the colours of Centre d’Esports Sabadell to founding one of the country's most esteemed sparkling wine cellars: Recaredo.
During the team's golden years, Mata Capellades graced the pitches of the First Division. However, at home, with a family of ceramic and brick professionals, there was little financial security. His mother, with more foresight than any coach, sent him to master the craft of sparkling wine disgorgement. He quickly mastered the art of manual disgorgement, a swift and precise gesture requiring more wrist finesse than a successful dribble, and he soon began teaching others, earning a reputation in his hometown, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. Thus, amidst bubbles and early mornings, his true calling was born.
Together with his wife Francisca Casanovas, he founded Recaredo in 1924, in honour of his father's nickname, and what began as a small family venture would eventually mark a turning point in the history of Penedès sparkling wines.
A century later, the Recaredo family — second and third generations — pays tribute to that legacy with a wine that is far more than just a label: Recaredo Homenatge a Josep Mata Capellades.
Crafted from the indigenous varieties xarel·lo and macabeu from old vineyards located near the Bitlles River, in deep, limestone soils, this high-quality sparkling wine under the collective brand Corpinnat, captures the essence of the Alt Penedès. The fermentation of xarel·lo in oak barrels and an extensive ageing in the bottle (using the méthode champenoise) with a natural cork stopper elevate the wine to another level. And as a true Brut Nature, without added sugar, they present us with a Corpinnat, manually disgorged (as its founder did), where only fruit, terroir, and time exist.
Recaredo Homenatge a Josep Mata Capellades is a centenary sparkling wine that resonates with living history. A Corpinnat that celebrates a life, a passion, and a commitment to quality that spans generations. For one does not turn a hundred every day... and not all wines can recount it with such elegance.