Cava Wine Region Guide

Winemaking and regional classifications

Cava producers spare no effort, time, or expense in making their wine. Indeed, some of the world’s most impressive subterranean cellars are found in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, particularly in the headquarters of Codorniu and Henkell Freixenet. Only traditional method sparkling wines are produced in these atmospheric caves – Charmat is prohibited under the DO rules. In essence, this involves bottling still wines with the addition of yeast and sugar. A secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle – yeast releases CO2 into the wine as it consumes the sugar. Once the process is finished, the wine is aged with the dead yeast cells (lees) for a period that ranges from nine months to eight years. Disgorgement (removing yeast sediment from the bottle) will then occur, and the bottle is resealed; a wine/sugar solution called liqueur d’expedition is used to top up wine lost during the disgorgement. It is known as dosage.

However, while the production methods are strictly regulated, Cava is open to many interpretations. Some bodegas refuse to touch international varieties; others value what they bring to the table. Codorniu and Freixenet are pioneers in this regard, producing several high-quality wines based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. There are mono-varietal labels and a far greater volume of blends up for grabs – supermarket private labels and prestige cuvées both have a role to play in the DO.

The vast majority of Cava is dry, although sweeter styles do exist. The quality of the Cava Rosados (rosé) has also soared recently. In Champagne, rosé is made by combining red and white wines – the appellation regulations outlaw this. Spanish winemakers, therefore, use the maceration method, extracting a minimum of color from the skins before the juice is run off and the wine is fermented. The best of these are deeply colored, fruit-forward, and very fresh.

According to the DO rules, the minimum aging period on the lees for Cava is nine months – called Cava de Guarda. This produces a charming, youthful sparkling wine that admittedly lacks a strong autolytic character. Meanwhile, Cava de Guarda Superior Reserva wines must be cellared for 18 months before release; the extra depth and yeast impact are more noticeable with Reservas. Thirty months of storage is the minimum for a Cava de Guarda Superior Gran Reserva; however, the finest examples are aged up to ten years before disgorgement. This allows them to develop a wholly different character, emphasizing autolytic richness over primary fruit. The best Gran Reservas are genuinely exceptional sparkling wines.

Yet the hierarchy does not stop at Gran Reserva. In 2016, the authorities introduced a new single-vineyard category, Cava de Paraje Calificado. Representing a small (but growing) elite of Spanish bubblies, Paraje Calificado wines are only produced from estate vineyards that are often farmed according to organic principles. They must be aged for at least 36 months before release – many elect to disgorge after 6-7 years. Juve & Camps’ prestige cuvée La Capella represents the cream of the crop: powerfully structured and very complex. Proof indeed that the epithet ‘bargain-basement Champagne’ is both undeserved and incorrect.

Geography and terroir

The vast majority of Cava is made in the hills of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, west of Barcelona. Part of the Alt Penedès subzone of DO Penedès, the vineyards are situated near a confluence of the Averno and Anoia rivers. Flanked by the impressive Montserrat mountain range – home to a famous monastery – the area offers a range of distinct terroirs, with advantageous variations in aspect and altitude. The latter is essential to the local quality equation: Penedès lies on the same latitude as Tuscany. Summer temperatures can therefore be very warm – far hotter than would be experienced in Champagne. Proximity to the sea also contributes to humidity, albeit cooling sea breezes are most welcome in July and August. Nevertheless, without the benefits of diurnal temperature variation (a significant temperature difference between day and night), it would not be easy to produce fresh base wines in this part of Catalunya.

Of course, many producers argue that the magic lies in the soil. Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is blessed with clay and calcareous-loam terroir, with greater volumes of alluvial matter found on the banks of the Anoia River. There are also rock fragments (slate) on the lower slopes of Montserrat. The three principal varieties – Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo – are well-suited to the Mediterranean climate and local soils. However, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir tend to require cooler sites in the highest parts of Catalunya, lest they yield flabby and lackluster base wine. Such is the reality of growing Champagne grapes in a climate where 95°F is part of the course in the summer months.

The lowdown

Cava has been a real talking point for critics and journalists over the past decade. The departure of Raventos I Blanc caused quite a stir at the end of 2012; an exodus of nine influential producers seven years later sent the DO into panic mode. Fortunately, the appellation’s most important wineries – Codorniu and Freixenet – remain committed to the cause. What Cava is – and its global renown – was entirely built by these two companies. They have done much to further Cava’s reputation in foreign markets; Codorniu’s Ars Collecta has become one of the appellation’s most successful premium brands. The often-heard criticism that “corporations have destroyed Cava’s image” is just plain wrong.

Nevertheless, historical grievances will be slow to heal. When Raventos I Blanc announced its decision to leave the DO and adopt a regional appellation designation named ‘Conca Del Riu Anoia,’ the response was utter disbelief. “Historically, the Sant Sadurni Cava industry was always volume- and quality-orientated,” said Pepe Raventos at the time of the announcement. “But today, Cava has become a solely volume-oriented DO with no geographical distinction in terms of climate and soils with low viticultural standards.” In 2019, Xavier Gramona and eight other wineries followed in his footsteps, creating the new designation Corpinnat after they jumped ship. They argued that it needed to be easier for small, quality-orientated producers to differentiate themselves from the negative connotation of supermarket Cava.

Moreover, the appellation framework was historically too liberal for its own good: there were scant vineyard sources or yield rules. In all fairness, however, DO president Javier Pages has done much to atone for past mistakes. The new classification and zoning framework is helping to increase awareness of premium Cava and encourage trade up from lesser sparkling wines. In the past, growers lacked a formal hierarchy that peaked with single-vineyard Cavas – now they have one. Winemaking and viticulture are improving all the time. Cava is in the ascendant.

Is this enough to bring the family back together again? It’s too early to tell – Gramona and Raventos have not indicated they will abandon Corpinnat and Conca Del Riu Anoia, respectively. Yet without their involvement and resources, all the efforts to promote a better image may reach a plateau; many of Spain’s top winemakers no longer belong to the appellation. Their expertise and cachet, as Pages freely admits, are sorely missed. Still, it will probably take some time before all rifts are healed and unity is restored. “Poco a poco,” as they say in Barcelona.

Catalan gastronomy

The center of high gastronomy in Spain (don’t tell the Basques) is surprisingly democratic in many ways. Almost every bar and cafe will offer tasty snacks throughout the day, ranging from tapas to more substantive raciones and bocadillos (filled rolls). At the other end of the scale, however, you can feast on Catalan chefs’ unrestrained creativity and innovative take on classical dishes. These may include cargols (snails stewed with rabbit and chili), ‘mandonguilles amb sipia’ (meatballs with cuttlefish), and suquet de peix, a delicious fish, potato, and tomato soup. The only thing that needs to be added is an aperitif. Naturally, you’ll be thrown onto the street if you ask for Champagne! Cava is the only choice here.

Guide to Catalan Gastronomy: Read more