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Cava is Spain's traditional sparkling wine, produced mainly in the
Penedès region in northeastern Spain. Crisp, fruity and well-balanced,
cava has grown in popularity over the years and at least one or two brands
can be found in most wine shops in the U.S. Consumers like cavas for their
straightforward flavors, long-lasting bubbles, and excellent values.
Because of its accessibility, cava has always been one of the first
choices of savvy consumers for celebrations, parties and holidays. And
today's cava producers make consistently high quality sparkling wine. As The
Wine Spectator's renowned critic Thomas Matthews commented,
"Today's cavas are fresher and livelier, with more fruit yet more
sophistication."
History of Cava. Cava was created and fostered by the climate
and history of Spain's Catalunya region. The homeland of cava is Penedès,
located approximately 40km southwest of Barcelona. The region is
surrounded by rough and rocky elevation of Montserrat, and enjoys the
ideal climate for wine-making, protected from the heat and humidity of the
Mediterranean and the harsh northern and eastern winds, known as levanter.
The soil of the Penedès region is excellent for grape-growing, with
chalky top layers over clay and a deeper layer of rocky, poor soil,
causing the vines to thrive with deep roots. The Phoenicians and Greeks
who settled in this land took advantage of the climate and embarked on
wine-making, and it was well known from Roman times for its red wine.
During the Middle Ages, the wines crossed the Pyrenees and were sold
widely in France.
Cava was born in the second half of the nineteenth century from a
change in grape variety and one man's idea: In the second half of the
nineteenth century, the vineyards of Penedès were badly infested by
phylloxerae (grape root bugs). When the vineyards were replanted, white
grapes were planted instead of the traditional red grapes. At that time,
Jose Rabentos, who was traveling in the Champagne region of France, saw
that region's distinctive sparkling wine and thought of producing such a
wine himself. In 1872, he succeeded in producing Spain's first sparkling
wine, called cava. In a short time, cava gained tremendous
popularity in the market.
Cava Facts
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| The label and cork guarantee that the wine is cava. As
D.O. (Denomination of Origin) wines, all cavas are authorized by
law to carry specific labeling. The cork of a cava wine are always
stamped with the maker's logo and a four-pointed star on the base.
These markings guarantee the certain quality of cava wines. |
Today, cava is enjoyed by people around the world as a D.O. (Denomination
of Origin) wine. In 1986, after Spain joined the European Community
(today's E.U.), the cava was designated as a D.O. wine and the place of
production, grape varieties used, and fermentation methods came under
strict regulation. Only those wines that comply with the regulations are
allowed to use the name "cava"; these wines have been accepted
enthusiastically by wine enthusiasts from around the world. Almost 120
years since the first cava was produced, cava today is highly popular in
the U.K., the U.S, and Germany as a sparkling wine that can be enjoyed all
the year round, and has built up a large market. Annual production volume
is approximately 12.5 million cases, the highest for a sparkling wine made
by the same traditional method as champagne and second only to true
champagne.
Cava Production Process. Cava is made by strict adherence to the
traditional method champenoise. Each bottle of cava is produced with great
care and attention to detail, by strictly following the traditional
champagne method. Cava is made by an elaborate and time-consuming process
of tank fermentation, secondary bottle fermentation, and disgorging
(removal of sediment):
- Pressing: The first step is the pressing of freshly picked
grapes. Only about 50% of this juice, known as flower must, is used
to make cava.
- First Fermentation. After removing the skin and fibrous
parts by clarification and filtration, the juice is fermented in
stainless steel tanks. The temperature is kept at a constant 15-18
degrees Celsius, and the sediment is removed upon completion.
- Blending. Wines fermented from different grapes are blended
and yeast and cane sugar added before the wine is bottled and
temporarily corked.
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- Secondary Fermentation. The wine is fermented a second time
in the bottle. The action of the yeast and the cane sugar causes
fermentation again, and natural carbon dioxide is released into the
wine.
- Riddling (Remuage). To remove the sediment produced from
the second fermentation, the bottles are turned upside down and
rotated so the sediment is collected in the neck of the bottle.
- Disgorging (Degorgement). The neck of the bottle, where the
sediment has collected, is frozen and the temporary cork removed.
The internal pressure forces the frozen sediment out. Wine of the
same type and volume is added to fill the bottle.
- Corking, Labeling, and Shipment. Finally, a cork with a
star mark is used to seal the bottle, a label is attached, and the
bottle is ready for shipment.
About the Grapes.
White Grape Varieties: Macabeo is a thin-skinned
variety growing in large bunches, providing a big harvest. Wines made
from Macabeo grapes have a refreshing, yet aromatic nose and excellent
balance of acidity. As it does not oxidize easily, Macabeo is suitable
for white wines fermented at low temperature. Xarel-lo, native to
Catalunya, is a variety with large-sized berries, is more resistant to
disease than Macabeo, and is harvested later. This grape, which is a
main ingredient of cava, is grown mainly in the central region of
Penedès. Because it contains high levels of sugar, it improves the
body, color, and freshness of the wine with which it is blended.
Parellada is a variety grown on the hills of the Penedès region, known
for its crispness and fragrance. It is grown for making high quality
wines and is characterized by its moderate acidity and prominent aroma.
Blending with Parellada brings out the vitality and uniqueness of Xarel-lo
and Macabeo.
Cava Sweet/Dry Indications
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- Brut --> Extra dry
- Seco --> Dry
- Semiseco --> Medium
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Red Grape Varieties: The Monastrell grape has a dark purple color
and ripens well. Grown mainly in the levanter region, it has low
production volumes. Blending with this variety adds depth to the color
of the wine, and brings out the individual flavors, which are sustained
longer. It is used mainly in rosé cavas. Garnacha Tinta is a
representative Spanish grape, also mainly used in rosé cavas
Characteristics. While the minimum aging time for a D.O. cava
is nine months, many producers age the cava for two to four years rather
than the minimum, helping to develop even more the character of the
wines. A Gran Reserva cava has been kept in the aging cellars for at
least thirty months. Younger cavas are characterized by the primary
aroma of the grapes, while older cavas have secondary aromas arising
from their prolonged aging in contact with the yeast
Cava is no longer just a celebration wine! It is frequently called into
service as a delightful aperitif because of its association with joyful
and pleasurable moments. Cava is also quite a charming dinner companion, a
pleasing accompaniment with white meat, fish and vegetable dishes and
positively stunning with spicy cuisine. Cava's excellent pairing with
dessert and cheese courses is well-known, and indeed it can be a welcome
part of any meal.
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