Cava is the most popular Spanish sparkling wine and one of Spain’s most famous wines. With the same method of production but a completely different blend of grapes, the Spanish Cava is the true rival to Champagne.
Champagne, the infamous sparkling wine from the French region of the same name is rightfully crowned as the “King of Wines.” In recent years though, it is being outperformed by its brothers, the great kings of Italy and Spain, namely Prosecco and Cava.
Champagne’s Greatest Rival
Cava is the most popular Spanish sparkling wine and one of Spain’s most famous wines. Cava rivals Champagne in many ways from production method to quality but at a more affordable price.
The significance of Cava is the region and the Spanish grape varieties used in its production. Cava hails from the Penedes region that lies to the south of Barcelona in the Spanish Catalunya wine region. Cava has a Denominación de Origen (DO) status which indicates that it can only be produced in specific areas of Spain, using approved grape varieties and must be carbonated with a secondary fermentation in the bottle.
The name Cava comes from the Spanish word for “cave” referring to the deep underground cellars where the wines age. However, this name was not adopted until 1970.
The History of Cava
Cava was originally popularized as Champán or Champaña. This name didn’t stem from the Champagne wine region in France but actually referred to the method of fermentation used to turn base wine into bubbly known as Methode Champenoise.
In 1872, the winemaker Josep Raventós of the Codorníu winery brought the Methode Champenoise with him from the Champagne region of France. He used it to produce the first Cava sparkling wine in the Penedes region. In 1887, when a plague of phylloxera devastated every vineyard of the region, the winemakers relied on the high-quality white grapes of Spain that survived and even thrived in the absence of the red grapes. This led to an increase in the production of sparkling wines in Spain. The Codorníu winery dominates the production of Cava to this day.
The Grape Varieties of Cava
Cava is made with a blend of the high-quality Spanish white grapes Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Paralleda, each of which brings its own character to the wine. Together, the three Spanish grapes create the balanced fruity sparkling wine we love as Cava. Rosado styles of Cava are fortified by blending a variety of red grapes such as Garnacha, Monastrell, Pinot Noir, or Trepat.
Macabe
Macabeu is the primary grape used in Cava production that makes up the main body of the wine. It is more neutral in flavour and has faint floral aromatics, a citric fruity note with a slightly bitter finish that tastes similar to green almonds.
Xarel·lo
Xarel·lo, on the other hand, is much more aromatic with rich floral aromas and citric fruit and green apple notes. It principally contributes a tart acidity and freshness to the wine.
Paralleda
Paralleda is blended for its high acidity and zesty citrus flavours with fresh nutty notes which mature well as the wine ages giving it a depth in flavour.
The Styles of Cava
Cava is classified depending on how long it has been aged in the bottle as well as its level of sugar content. The most popularly sold Cava is the simple Cava Brut which requires a minimum 9-month ageing period on the lees and a sugar content of 0-12 grams per litre.
Cava is classified according to the sugar content from a Brut with 0-12 grams per litre to a Dry or Seco with up to 32 grams per litre and Sweet or Dolç with more than 50 grams per litre. However, for vintage Cava, only Brut varieties are allowed to be aged.
Cava Reserva is a non-vintage Cava that has been aged for a minimum of 18 months while Cava Gran Reserva is considered a vintage Cava which has been aged for a minimum of 30 months.
The longer the Cava ages, the more toasty and nutty aromas are pronounced in the wine. Well-aged vintage Gran Reserva Cava sparkling wines often have notes of brioche, almond skin, toasted hazelnut, or even smoke. Is it worth noting that once you buy a bottle of Cava, it keeps its flavours intact for up to a year. So, the best time to procure your bottle of fresh Cava wine would be when it’s released in the market.
The Cava Methode
Cava is made through a two-step fermentation process. The first step is turning grape juice into wine and the second step is turning the wine into a beautiful bubbly sparkling wine.
Cava grapes are harvested early to maintain high acid levels. They’re then pressed to release juice. The juice of each grape variety is fermented separately in oak barrels or stainless-steel tanks. These dry wines are blended together in decided proportions to create a final product.
The blended wine is bottled along with tirage liqueur which is a mixture of yeast and sugar. This mixture incites the second fermentation which lasts for 9 months to several years and introduces carbon dioxide into the wine which results in the bubbles that we love.
Raise a flute of Cava
With the same method of production but a completely different blend of grapes, the Spanish Cava is the true rival to Champagne. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or would like to relax with a glass of sparkling wine, you don’t have to spend a fortune on a bottle of Champagne. When life calls for a toast, you raise a flute of Cava.
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