...because in addition to the traditionally produced cavas, there are other sparkling wines in Spain that either do not come from the D.O. Cava or are not produced according to the traditional method (see below). There is now also the Corpinnat, which does not have the same legal status as the D.O. Cava and the Classic Penedés, as another group of important sparkling wine producers in the D.O. Penedés calls itself.
Cava is the name for Spanish sparkling wine that is produced using the traditional method, similar to French champagne. Cava is a D.O., a Denominación de Origen and stands for the regions from which the sparkling wine originates and whose production and quality is controlled by this D.O.. D.O.s are usually standardised regions such as Rioja, Jerez or Priorat, to name a few well-known representatives.
Not so the D.O. Cava. It consists of several areas spread across Spain, such as Penedés in Catalonia, Valencia, Navarro, Aragon and parts of Rioja and an area in Extremadura. Grapes used to make Cava can only come from these regions and must be produced according to certain D.O. specifications.
But, first things first. Firstly, let's take a look at where Cava comes from.
The D.O. Cava
As already mentioned, the D.O. (Denominación de Origen) Cava is not a single region like the D.O.Ca Rioja or Priorat. It is a conglomerate of different regions spread throughout the country. The most important of all the regions is undoubtedly the Penedés, a region located in the north-east of the country, in Catalonia, between Tarragona and Barcelona. The heart of the region is the town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, where the first bottle of cava was produced in 1872. More than 95% of cava production takes place in Penedés.
Other cava regions can be found in the Ebro Valley, in the provinces of Aragón, Navarra and Rioja.
If we continue southwards from Penedés along the coast, we come to the Costa Azahar, the orange region around Valencia. There, about 90 kilometres inland, is the municipality of Utiel-Requena, which is also known for the quality of its cavas.
The fourth and final Cava region is Almendralejo in Extremadura, probably the hottest region in Spain, with mild winters and hot summers. The heat is further intensified by the hot "viento solano" winds that sweep across the vineyards of this flat region in summer.
Methods of production
There are different production methods for making sparkling wine, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages and produce different products. The choice of method is a question of taste as well as economic considerations:
1) The most economical method - steel tank or Charmat fermentation.
This is the fastest and most efficient method of producing sparkling wine. In this method, the second fermentation takes place in a closed tank. Production is carried out as follows:
The base wine (from the first fermentation, is an ordinary still wine) is mixed with sugar and yeast and begins to ferment in a closed tank. The resulting CO2 cannot escape from the tank and dissolves in the wine.
The resulting sparkling wine is filtered to remove the yeast.
Dissolved sugar or sweet wine (dosage) is added before bottling.
The advantage of this method is that the quality of the product is predictable in addition to the economical production method.
2) The traditional method - bottle fermentation
This method is already 300 years old and is also used for the production of champagne. Cava is also produced using this method:
Grapes are harvested very selectively and also pressed very gently to prevent bitter substances from the skins entering the must.
With this method, each grape variety is vinified separately and blended after the first fermentation. This requires the winemaker to know which wine he wants to obtain after a few years. This process requires a great deal of knowledge and skill.
The second fermentation takes place in the bottle on the lees. During the second fermentation, the aromas of the wine change to the so-called tertiary aromas, as does its texture.
In the final phase of the second fermentation, the bottles are turned upside down at an angle and repeatedly rotated by 45º at regular intervals to ensure that the yeast collects in the neck of the bottle and forms a plug.
Disgorging: the yeast residue collected in the neck of the bottle is shock-frozen and can be explosively removed from the neck of the bottle as a plug by removing the cork. The clear sparkling wine remains.
Dosage: as some liquid is now missing, this is replaced with a sweet solution. The sweetness of the solution is used to adjust the desired degree of sweetness of the wine. The bottle is then corked.
3) Transvariation procedure - the hybrid form
This is a combination of the two methods mentioned above. In the process
the second fermentation is carried out in the bottle
after fermentation, the contents of the bottle are transferred to a tank and filtered during decanting.
Dosage: addition of the sweet wine and bottling under pressure
4) Influence of the production method on the flavour
Sparkling wines fermented in tanks taste fruitier than those produced after bottle fermentation. These have lost a large part of their fruit flavours, which have been transformed into tertiary flavours such as yeast, brioche, toasted bread, nuts and caramel. The texture of bottle-fermented wines is also softer, creamier and more pleasant. The bubbles are smaller, slower and feel smoother in the mouth.
The production method is usually indicated on the underside of the sparkling wine cork in the form of various symbols.
A four-pointed star: this sparkling wine is a cava produced using the traditional method.
A rectangle: This is a sparkling wine that is no longer allowed to be called Cava because it has not been aged for 9 months as prescribed. In addition, this sparkling wine has not been disgorged and is marketed with clouding.
A circle: This sparkling wine has been fermented in tanks and has not undergone bottle fermentation.
A triangle: This sparkling wine has been artificially gassed.
Grapes
Indigenous grape varieties such as Macabeo (Viura), Xarel-lo and Parellada are used in the production of cava. However, non-indigenous varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnacha tinta, Subirat Parent (Malvasia) and Monastrell are also used.
Macabeo
This grape variety is very high-yielding. The berry has a very thin skin, a long ripening cycle and a late ripening period. It produces wines with a slightly floral character that are fine, elegant and balanced, although they are moderately rich in sugar and acidity.
Xarel.lo
This vine produces medium-sized grapes that are not very compact. The berries are thick-skinned. It is characterised by the fact that it provides structure and produces full-bodied wines with a unique flavour that distinguishes Cava from other sparkling wines produced using the traditional method.
Parellada
It gives the wine finesse and freshness. With large clusters and medium-sized berries and thick skin, it is an early sprouting and late ripening grape. It is very productive and very well adapted to the high altitudes of the Penedès. It produces well-structured, fruity and elegant wines that are characterised by suppleness and balance. With its moderate acidity, it gives the cava personality and offers good ageing potential.
Differences to other sparkling wines
The traditional production method is prescribed for both Champagne and Cava. This means that the second fermentation takes place in the bottle and, depending on the ageing period (at least 9 months), this has an influence on the flavour.
These requirements do not apply to producers of other sparkling wines, which does not mean that they are not still applied.
Cava-types
Cavas are divided into different classes, which differ in their sugar content.
Brut Nature: is a designation for the driest Cava with 0-3 grams of sugar per litre.
Extra Brut: is the designation for cava with a maximum of 6 grams of sugar per litre.
Brut: contains a maximum of 12 grams of sugar per litre
Extra Seco: is not so dry, but contains between 12 and 17 grams of sugar/litre
Seco: contains between 17 and 32 gr. sugar/litre
Semi Seco between 32 and 50 grams of sugar/litre
Dulce is any sparkling wine with more than 50gr. sugar per litre.
Sparkling wine and its quality criteria
The question that probably everyone who likes to drink sparkling wine asks themselves is: "How or how can I recognise a good sparkling wine?"
There are cavas with and without a vintage, with vintage cavas being significantly better than those without a vintage. Cavas without a vintage are usually blends of wines from several vintages, which are put together to form a cuvée with the aim of producing a quality that is as consistent as possible over the years.
Vintage wines are usually produced in vintages that were exceptionally good and therefore an exceptionally good wine can be expected.
To what extent does the price play a role? Is an expensive sparkling wine also a better sparkling wine?
There is no generalised answer to this question. The price of a sparkling wine or wine is not necessarily an indicator of its quality.
Some wines have higher production costs than others. For example, wines in Priorat are grown on terraces that make mechanical processing and harvesting impossible. The grapes have to be harvested by hand. Due to the climate, high yields are also not to be expected, which is also reflected in the price. However, hand-picking means that a selection process of grapes already takes place (can take place), which results in a better quality wine. You can't make good wine from bad grapes.
On the other hand, the low yields also have a positive influence on the quality of the must, as the nutrients and minerals absorbed from the soil are distributed over fewer grapes than with higher yields. This is even partly achieved artificially by sometimes removing grapes before the ripening process in order to obtain more concentrated wines.
Another quality criterion is the storage time, as slow fermentation produces small bubbles, which have a positive effect on the mouthfeel. The fine-sparkling Cava feels softer, smoother and also creamier like our Recaredo Reserva Particular.