Cava wine Spain. Sparkling Cava wines from Spain. Where did champagne come from in Spain?

The production of champagne wines is a promising and developed area in which manufacturers around the world have achieved unprecedented success and heights. Some varieties of sparkling wines are so famous throughout the face of the earth that their very name immediately evokes pleasant associations, especially among those for whom this drink is their favorite.

Spanish winemakers occupy not the last positions in the ranking of champagne wine producers, so their products are not only of high quality, but also widely known among connoisseurs and gourmets. One of the famous varieties that Spanish producers consider their pride and even their calling card is Cava wine.

Spanish legislation regulated the release of Cava in certain Spanish regions, with about 95% of the drink produced in Penedes. The largest number of productions of this type of wine is concentrated in the city of San Sadurní, where there are huge cellars in which the original Cava wine matures.

The beginning of the production of Spanish sparkling wine is associated with 1551, when a young winery owner, while traveling, tasted French champagne for the first time. He was so delighted with the taste of the drink that upon returning to his homeland, he decided to reproduce the production technology of the original drink.

The only problem in making champagne was that the grapes for the production of this drink were not grown in this area. This did not stop the winemaker, so he began to grow the necessary varieties directly in his vineyards to make wine. The result of growing and preparing high-quality sparkling wine based on grapes was the emergence of modern Cava from Spanish winemakers.

Today, to produce Cava wine, Spanish winemakers grow elite grape varieties, on the basis of which a huge variety of alcoholic products are prepared. To make white sparkling wine, the following grape varieties are used:

Xarel-lo;
Macabeo;
Parellada.

Rose sparkling wines are produced based on the following varieties:

Trepat;
Monastell;
Garnacha;
Pinot Noir.

Some grape varieties are elite and cannot be grown elsewhere in the world, so in this sense Spanish sparkling wine producers have an advantage.

Classification of Cava wine

Cava wine has many varieties, varieties, marcos and brands, which differ not only in the regions of production, but also in color and grape variety. Foamy wine from Spanish winemakers is classified according to its aging period:

Cava . This is an alcoholic drink that is aged for 9 months;
Cava Reserva . This is the name of a sparkling wine, the minimum aging of which is 1 year and 3 months;
Cava Gran Reserva . This is Spanish champagne, aged for 2.5 years.

Aging is not the only criterion by which Spanish Cava wine is classified. Another criterion is the sugar content of the drink. According to this indicator, Cava wine is divided into the following varieties:

Brut Nature – does not contain sugar;
Extra Brut – contains no more than 6 grams of sugar;
Brut – contains no more than 15 grams of sugar;
Extra seco – sugar content no more than 20 grams;
Seco – the maximum amount of sugar in the drink is 35 grams;
Semi-seco – permissible amount of sugar up to 50 grams.

Popular brands of Cava wine

Gourmets and connoisseurs of elite alcoholic beverages, in particular Cava wines, are well acquainted with famous brands from Spanish manufacturers. Among the most famous Cava brands, the following are in particular demand:

Jaume Serra . The drink has received many awards, certificates and international awards.
Codorniu Nuviana Cava . The wine has a harmonious taste and pleasantly pleases with the long play of bubbles in the glass.
Gran Codorniu Reserva Chardonnay. This type of champagne is made from Chardonnay grapes, and due to long fermentation and aging for 15 months, the drink acquires a rich taste.
Masachs Brut Nature Reserva . A blend of three grape varieties is used in wine production.
Castelli Liord Cava Brut DO. This sparkling wine is prepared according to an ancient Catalan recipe. Wine material, which is correctly selected, allows you to make a drink with a pleasant softness.

How does Cava wine differ from standard champagne?

Although the production technology of champagne and Cava wine is in many ways similar, there are significant differences between the production of these drinks, including:

More local grape varieties are used to make Cava;
French champagne has a longer aging period;
Real champagne contains more sugar;
The price of Spanish Cava is more affordable than French champagne.

Those who have tried real Spanish sparkling wine Cava at least once still remember its taste and aroma, and for some this drink has become the most favorite among all alcoholic products.

Although Cava is called "Spanish champagne", this wine is worthy of respect in its own right.

In 2014, domestic sales of kava increased for the first time in two years, by 7.54%. Pedro Bonet, Chairman of the Cava Regulatory Council, presenting these results highlighted the “excellent recovery” in the domestic Cava market, also indicating the commitment of local and foreign consumers to the premium segment of Cava wines. Cava is now on the verge of introducing a new top tier of sparkling wine classification, "Cava de Paraje Calificado", which will include wines made from grapes from a specific site, which will be classified according to its "unique climatic and soil characteristics".

In the meantime, here are some key facts to help you understand the world of Cava wines.

Cava is mainly produced in the Penedes region of Catalonia

Cava has its own appellation (Denominacion de Origin), which regulates the permissible places of production. It was created in 1959, and is unique because it covers eight geographical areas throughout Spain. However, the vast majority of cava is produced in the Catalan region of Penedès, which accounts for about 95% of production. The largest producers in the region are Codorníu and Freixenet.

Cava is also produced in regions such as Rioja, Aragon, Valencia, Badajoz, Castile and Leon, and Navarre.

Three main grape varieties are used in the production of cava

Catalan Cava is made from three main grape varieties - Xarello, Parellada, Macabeo/Viura.

Xarello provides structure, Parellada provides rich, creamy character, and Macabeo provides acidity and freshness. Sometimes Chardonnay is added to the blend.

Red grapes, including Garnacha, Pinot Noir and Trepat, are used to produce Cava rosé wines.

Cava is produced using the same method as champagne.

All Cava is produced in the same way as Champagne; producers follow the traditional method of producing sparkling wines by subjecting them to a second fermentation in the bottle. All Cava wines must spend at least nine months on the lees, which gives them smoky and rubbery tones rather than the bready notes of French Champagne.

In the past, Cava was often referred to as "Spanish Champagne", however this designation is no longer permitted as the word "Champagne" is a protected designation of origin and is protected under European law.

Sweets for every taste

Like Champagne, Cava is graded according to its sugar levels, which depend on the addition of dosage liqueur during the production process.

Brut nature: 0-3 grams of sugar per liter
Extra brutal: up to 6 g/l
Brut: up to 12 g/l
Extra dry: 12-17 g/l
Dry: 17-32 g/l
Semi dry: 32-50 g/l
Sweet: +50 g/l

All Cava must be aged for at least nine months, and can be released one year after harvest. By comparison, Reserva Cava must spend at least 15 months on lees, and Gran Reserva at least 30 months. In the best years, vintage Cava can be made from grapes from a single year's harvest, which tend to age even longer. However, most Cava wines are not vintage and are made from a blend of base wines to maintain stability, and are generally not intended to be aged for long periods of time.

The first bottle of cava was produced in 1872

The very first bottle of Cava using the "traditional method" was made in 1872 in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Catalonia - the historical center of Cava. Later, between 1895 and 1915, the Codorniu cellars were created there.

In 1976, King Juan Carlos I declared the Codorniu cellars in San Sadurní d'Anoia a "national historical monument".

"Cava" means "cellar" in Spanish.

The Spanish word "cava" means "cave" or "cellar", and was adopted in 1970 as a term to differentiate Spain's sparkling wines from champagne.

The choice of word is probably due to the fact that the caves were used for storing and aging wines.

Spain is one of the three largest wine producers in the world. The grapevine covers vast areas - about six million acres. No country in the world has such areas for growing raw materials for the future drink, which is exported to many countries. This article introduces the reader to sparkling Spanish wines, their description, range and production.

When did winemaking begin in Spain?

This type of activity has existed since the Romans and Phoenicians ruled the country. Winemaking has been practiced in Spain for more than 2000 years. The first source mentioning Spanish wines dates back to 873. The production of this drink in the country developed thanks to the Romans, who diligently taught the local population the secrets of its production and storage. They themselves exported wine to the Roman Empire.

In the Middle Ages, Spanish sparkling wines became popular thanks to the efforts of monks who sought to improve their quality. The production of this product in the country was treated with trepidation. Thus, in the seventeenth century, the mayor of the city of Logrono issued a decree that prohibited horse-drawn carriages from passing through the streets adjacent to wine cellars. This, according to the ruler, interfered with the quality of the drink.

The wineries built by the French in Spain had a positive impact on the development of this industry. It turned out that the vineyards of France were invaded by phylloxera, imported from America. This caused irreparable damage. Then French winegrowers became interested in the Spanish regions and launched their production there. They especially liked Rioja, since the wines produced there reminded the French of the drink of their homeland - the well-known Bordeaux.

Cava - sparkling wine

There is not a single festive event in Spain that would take place without the use of this drink, although kava has earned undoubted popularity in many other countries. Sparkling Spanish wines are produced in a specific region called Cava. The predominant part of wine production is located in the Catalan provinces of Barcelona and Tarragona.

Spanish sparkling wines are produced in a wide range in the country. But not every one of them has earned the right to be called sparkling cava. This name is given only to those drinks that are created using the appropriate ones grown using classical technology and in a certain region of sunny Spain.

White sparkling Spanish wines Cava (Cava) are produced from grape varieties such as Macabeo, Xarello, Parellada. Garnacha, Pinot Noir, Monastrell, Trepat are suitable for rose wines.

History of creation

The history of creating sparkling wines in Spain goes back several centuries. The first appearance of kava dates back to 1872. Its creator is Don José Raventos, a representative of one of the oldest families in Spain - Codorniu. He mastered the champagne method, which was developed in France, and successfully introduced it in his homeland, Catalonia. Currently, almost 100% of Cava sparkling wine production comes from this region. Already in those distant times, Jose established a small production of this drink there.

Since then, Spanish cava sparkling wine has been as popular as other drinks. This is evidenced by the fact that its annual production is 200 million bottles. It is quickly bought up by the local population and sold outside the country.

Production

The basis of cava production is secondary fermentation in bottles. To obtain the best Spanish wines, the raw materials are further subjected to various procedures: from blending to dilution with liqueur.

Cava doesn't end up in bottles right away. First, the drink undergoes a fermentation procedure in containers made of steel, after which it is mixed with different varieties of grapes and wine from the previous year. Only after blending is the cava bottled, into which is added liqueur made from yeast and sugar.
After such preparations, the neck is tightly corked, and the bottles are sent for storage for a period of 9 months to 4 years in a dark basement. The wine will age. The drink gains strength thanks to the carbon dioxide that forms in the bottles. The main thing for kava is the bubbles. The smaller and thinner they are, the higher the quality.
But that is not all. The drink undergoes the next test - the remuage process. The result of this procedure is the precipitation of yeast, visible to the eye, which forms on the neck. Subsequently, the bottle is frozen, and the cork with sediment is pulled out of it. This is already disgorgement.
The volume of the drink must correspond to the norm. Therefore, the same wine from the previous year and liqueur are added to the bottle. The last stage is sealing the container with a cork and strengthening it with a wire mesh. The wine is ready.

What kind of kava is there?

This drink of various brands is made using the traditional champagne method. Sparkling Spanish wines have a noble aroma and taste of ripe grapes. Cava production is carried out using an original method that completely mechanizes the remuage process. The bottles were replaced with a large metal structure called a hirasol (“sunflower”). This container holds five hundred bottles. There is no need to subject each one individually to the remuage procedure; this problem is eliminated.

Officially, kava is divided into pink and white. The first has a rich fruity and floral aroma and a dense dry taste. The following are the types of kava, classified according to the concentration of sugars:

Natural cava, or Brut Natur (superdry).
Brut (dry).
Seko (fairly dry).
Semi Seko (semi-dry).
Semi Dolce (semi-sweet).
Dolce (sweet).

If the question arises “how to choose sparkling Spanish wines,” pay attention to the manufacturer of the drink. The most famous companies:

"Castellblanche". It produces such famous Spanish wines (the best sparkling ones) as Brut Zero and Cristal Seco.
"Castillo de Perelada" is famous for such drinks as "Gran Claustro" and "Perelada".
"Codorniu" is famous for its excellent wines: "Codorniu", "Ana de Codorniu", "Non Plus Ultra", "Gran Codorniu".
Gonzales and Dubox produces the excellent Juan Perico product.
"Hill" is the producer of the drink "Reserva Oro Brut Cava".

How to enjoy kava?

This drink should not only be drunk, but also enjoyed. First, find a great company that makes you feel comfortable. Snacks are important. Fruits, seafood, caviar and various cheeses are ideal for this wine.

The drink is served chilled. It is poured into tall transparent glasses shaped like a tulip or flute. This will preserve the wine aroma longer. Through the transparent glass, the color is visible and the sizes of the bubbles are clearly visible, by which the quality of the drink is determined. Pour cava into glasses carefully so that the liquid flows down the sides. Do not pour to the very top.

What dishes go with different wines?

Undoubtedly, Spanish wines are considered the best. The discussion of their taste can be continued endlessly. It depends on each person's preference. But in Spain they follow traditions when drinking wine, each type of which is combined with a particular dish. For example, cava and sherry are among the best aperitifs. Drinks made from pink grapes go well with stewed vegetables. Cava is washed down with dried fruits and meat dishes, and sherry is used to wash down paella, a traditional dish of the wine-growing country.

When choosing alcohol, you should follow the basic rule: wine and dishes should not be very different in color. Therefore, it is better to eat cheeses and meats with red wine, and seafood with white wine.

Types of drinks in Spain

Classification of Spanish wines - This is a detailed system that may seem complex at first glance. Built on a legislative basis, it inspires respect. Thus, the type of drink established by the law on vineyards and wines is influenced by its quality and place of origin. So, the wines of Spain are:

1. Dining rooms. Several varieties of grapes are used to produce these drinks. However, this category may include non-vintage aperitifs. This is the lowest level of classification, therefore the requirements for them are minimal. As a result, the range of products produced is very wide. Table wine in Spain can be bought by the glass, packaged in paper bags or expensive bottles.

2. Branded (quality), which are divided, depending on the place of origin, into:

wines with special names that are not a brand;
drinks with brand names;
wines that have unique significance due to the limited area in which they are produced.

How to distinguish good Spanish wine from bad

Wines containing bubbles are either sparkling or effervescent. They are differentiated depending on pressure. In a bottle of real champagne, the pressure should be 5-6 atmospheres. The best Spanish sparkling wines naturally develop bubbles that result from fermentation. Sparkling wines are typically sweetened and artificially injected with carbon dioxide. Cheap fizzy drinks contain a large number of different unwanted ingredients. This type of wine should not be purchased.

The best sparkling drink in Spain is cava - white or rose wine. It is produced in six regions of the country. The type of Spanish wines depends on the grape variety used to make the drink. A good cava should be pale in color with a nutty taste and a pleasant lemony aroma.

Wine list (Spain): list of wine brands

Spain is famous for its winemaking, and Rioja is considered the most prestigious region. Here, the local microclimate, formed under the influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Ebro River, has a beneficial effect on the vineyards, in the valley of which delicious grapes are grown. Its most successful variety is Tempranillo.

The leading region in Catalonia for the production of sparkling wines is Penedes. Its climate allows for the cultivation of excellent grapes that love warmth and humidity. This is where Spanish sparkling wines Cava are produced.

The largest wine-growing region in Europe is La Mancha. Growing grapes here is quite difficult. Of the twelve months of the year, nine fall in the winter. Therefore, not every crop variety will take root in such harsh climatic conditions. But this environment suits Airen grapes; they are grown here on vast areas.

The Ribera del Duero region is famous for producing the most expensive luxury wines in Spain. Here the climate itself has created all the conditions for the growth of high quality raw materials.

Drinks of Spain

Spanish wine is considered the best in the world. the species of which are presented in a wide range and have thousands of names. Below we list some of them:

1. Rioja is the most recognizable wine in Spain. Usually men, three of them gathered, offer to drink Rioja. In fact, this name summarizes the very concept of a wine-growing region where wine of all varieties and names is produced. The region itself includes:

the northwestern part, which is most influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, which makes the climate cool;
the southeastern zone, which occupies the territory in the Ebro River valley (the climate here is hot and dry);
the so-called piece territory, which was once the Basque country - the climate here is Mediterranean, but subject to the influence of the Atlantic.

2. Sherry - fortified Spanish wine. It is impossible to imagine the wines of Spain without this drink. In its production, a special technology is used that involves the addition of alcohol. This drink is made from grapes harvested in September, which are placed in huge oak barrels (volume 600 liters) for up to several months (for fermentation). Over the winter, the wine is clarified, and it is poured into other similar containers, which are placed in a cellar to age for three years. They are placed in tiers of four each. As the drink ages, the barrels are moved from the upper tier to the lower. Wine is consumed only from the lower barrels. The most common type of sherry is Fino. It's the whitest thing ever

3. Sangria is made by adding citrus essence and sparkling water to white or red wine, which takes up 50% by volume. The drink may contain pulp or zest.

4. Malaga is made using three types of wort, which serves as juice:

flowing from ripe grapes;
carefully squeezed;
obtained by normal spinning.

Each type of wort is fermented and aged separately. In addition, Malaga is produced using simple wines. This sweet dessert drink based on white grapes is characterized by a large number of varieties, depending on the sugar content, color, and strength. This wine is currently an endangered species. The fact is that it is produced from indigenous grape varieties, and most of them died in the last century as a result of the phylloxera epidemic.

Pink wine

It is considered the unloved stepson. The population of Spain has an ambivalent attitude towards a product of this color. Many consider it "unfinished". Although rose wines are produced using the same technology as red wines. The only difference is that the grape berries are peeled earlier. This is done so that they do not color the wine too intensely.

If you put aside Spanish prejudices, you can fully enjoy rosé wine, such as Rosado, drinking it chilled. This drink will perfectly complement poultry dishes, cold meats and various salads.

Grape varieties used to produce Spanish wines

In each region of Spain, those varieties of grapes are grown that produce the greatest yields on its lands. The following types of raw materials are used most often in the production of Spanish wines:

Viura - its habitat is Rioja and Navarre. The fruit contains large amounts of acid and alcohol. White aromatic wines are produced from these grapes.
Airen is the most common white grape variety.
Tempranillo is the main one in Rioja. The fruit has a very rich black-violet color. It is cultivated not only in this region. But there this grape has a different name.
Mairasia is considered one of the main white grape varieties. Catalonia and Rioja are the best places to grow it. This variety produces wines with a soft, delicate taste.
Moscatel is one of the oldest varieties. These grapes are indispensable for making dessert wines.

What is the difference between rose and white wine?

It is simply impossible to know everything about Spanish wines. But some knowledge is simply necessary, especially for those who are planning to travel around Spain. Thus, rose-colored wines have a pleasant aroma of strawberries and rose petals, and a hint of spice is clearly felt in them. The best are considered to be those produced using amber grapes from Rioja and the Tempranillo variety, which has the taste of ripe cherries.

The white wine is produced in Catalonia and has the aroma of highland herbs and exotic fruits. There is a slightly citrus flavor.

Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in the French province of Champagne. The term “champagne” is used in many countries of the world, including in Russia, but it can only be used correctly in relation to the variety that is produced in the area called Champagne. In all other countries it is better called sparkling wine. Sparkling wines from Spain can be strong or sweet, fruity or floral, and sweet or dry. Even the quality of the most famous drink of this type of brut will depend on the quality of the grapes and the work of the producer. Cava is a carbonated wine that also originates in Spain.

Spanish wine kava began to be produced for the first time in Catalonia or Valencia. A Catalan named Don Josse Raventos had been producing wine with his company since 1551 and became a pioneer in the creation of Spanish sparkling wines.

He learned how to make sparkling wine in France and tried to conduct the same experiment in his hometown.

In Spain, he did not completely imitate French technology, but used it to create brut special varieties of white and black grapes, grown in his country, because the varieties that were in France were simply not found in Spain, so instead of those varieties he put three others grown in his country.

And oddly enough, the kava he received turned out to be several times better than what he saw in France. Cava, sparkling wine, comes in three hundred and fifty types, and any tourist coming to Spain will want to try this white drink. The harvest of white and black grapes from which this drink is prepared begins in August and continues until mid-October.

White grape varieties of the following types are collected:

acabeo;
parellada;
sharel;
chardonnay malvasia.

black varieties:

Garnacha Monestrel Pinot Noir;
Trepat.

For residents who speak Slavic languages, cava translates to “coffee,” so it was surprising to many that the name applied to wines. In Spanish cava means cellar. One hundred and fifty years ago, in dark cellars, this amazing sparkling white wine cava was born.

Production and territories

The Spanish sparkling wine Cava is created on land consisting of 159 municipalities such as Barcelona Tarragona Lleida Girona Sant Sadurni d'Anoia and others Sant Sadurni.

D'Anoia is a city in the province of Barcelona, part of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, and it is also the center and leading position in the area. It is not only the center of the territory, but also the center of production champagne cava.

In terms of strength, Spanish cava champagne is produced with twelve or thirteen percent alcohol.

Varieties of Kava

Natural Bru t uses only 6 grams of sugar per liter of drink in its recipe.
Extrabrut champagne. Extrabrut is considered the most elite; recipes for its preparation must meet generally accepted standards.

Brut is considered the driest champagne and to prepare it you will need to add a minimum of sugar per liter of drink. The alcohol content of brut is 10%, in contrast to sweet varieties, which contain 18% alcohol. Cava wine has varieties:

extra dry;
dry;
semi-dry;
sweet.

Cava brut took the name natural because this sparkling champagne is prepared without any impurities, including without added sugar.

The taste of wine depends on the varieties of grapes that are used in the production process, as well as on the area in which the grapes grow, on the duration of storage and the amount of sugar added during preparation, and some other very important points.

Natural wine made without sweets is considered very popular in Spain. This type of kava is called brut. Brut is a dry, sparkling wine that does not contain sweet or minimal amounts of it.

Brut connoisseurs prefer this variety because they believe that sugar can completely destroy the taste of the drink.

However, lovers of sweet wine can argue and express the opposite opinion, where it will be argued that dry brut wine has a sweet and sour taste, which they do not like at all.

Semi-sweet or sweet wine is liked by residents of the CIS and Americans.

Not everyone likes the alcoholic dry drink kava, and the question is not whether sweets are included in the composition or not, but a very interesting technologies, unique only to this country with its own grape varieties.

Production technology

Spain is a country where, thanks to its mild climate, various aromatic varieties of white grapes can be grown. Thanks to this, the world-famous Cava champagne, which is produced in Spain, is so tasty and aromatic.

Kava is an elixir joy and good mood. It is good to drink every day and during all holidays, but champagne, according to the tradition of many countries, is the drink that is traditionally opened on New Year's Day when the clock strikes twelve.

Before opening the bottle, it is important to remember that you do not need to shake it, open the wire slowly, holding the cork, so that there is no strong pop.

This drink makes the holiday more fun and gives the table a festive look.

In Spain, it is customary to drink cava champagne not only on New Year’s Day, but also on weekdays and during all other holidays. In Spain, they believe that cava is a drink for everyone, regardless on age and gender.

In Spain they believe that on New Year's Day you should have time to swallow twelve grapes so that in the coming New Year you will have more money and the year will become more fruitful for you in terms of acquisitions.

In Italy, for example, they drink Italian wine on New Year’s Eve. Drinking champagne, even if it were expensive French, is still considered bad manners. Each country tries to adhere to its traditions and foundations. Champagne Spain - cava wine variety is produced using the classical method. The classic method means picking grapes by hand and preferably only ripe berries. After this, you should perform the first spin and transfer the grapes to a specially designed container for fermentation.

Then the resulting material is poured into a prepared container, where wine yeast, sand and a little grape juice are placed, closed with a temporary stopper and the wine is left in the bottle itself, in which the wine will later be sold.

To prevent yeast sediment from remaining at the bottom, the bottle is turned upside down and frozen at the slant. After this, the bottle is returned to its original position, that is, with the neck up, thereby pushing out the yeast residue, then closed again with a cork, but this time with a cork, and the drink is left in the basement for several months.

Aging time of this drink are as follows:

Sparkling wine Cava - considered an alcoholic drink aged for nine months;
Cava Reversa - sparkling wine aged for one year and three months;
Cava Gran Reserva is a Spanish champagne aged for two and a half years.

In Spain, in addition to this variety of wine, there are many others, but no one can call them cava, because, as stated above, they are made from special white wines and are prepared according to the special inherent only to it technologies. Kava comes in both white and pink colors and one of the distinguishing features in the technology of this product is its aging.

The most popular brands:

Jaume Serra (Jaume Serra);
Codorniu Nuviana Cava;
Gran Codorniu Reserva Chardonnay;
Masachs Brut Nature Gran;
reserve;
Castell Lord Cava Brut DO.

Champagne bottles

Champagne bottles are divided into 2 types:

standard,
magnum.

Standard containers hold seven hundred and fifty grams, and magnum can hold one and a half liters. Champagne in a magnum bottle is considered the most... high quality and the cost is twice the cost of shamanic in standard bottles.

At the end of the article, we can say that although the production of the Spanish drink was borrowed from the French, the Spanish drink cava still has the aroma and taste inherent only Spanish wines. In some respects they are very different. For example, if in France champagne is sweet, then in Spain they begin to prepare from a variety without sugar to a variety with sugar of 50 grams or more.

Real champagne is made in France and sells for twice the price of Spanish cava, and also remember that the drink will always be pink cheaper white. French champagne is sold at a higher price because the aging period for such wines is twice as long.

Some manufacturers add carbon dioxide into grape infusion instead of those original and traditional methods associated with the technology of this drink. Adding soda will make the drink low-quality and unnatural.

We recommend this Spanish drink for serving on any table, it is very democratic drink and is even suitable for serving at a regular dinner. We recommend drinking it slightly chilled in glasses like tulip. Do not pour the drink into glasses immediately, as foam may spill out. After drinking the wine, everyone will feel its unique aroma and appreciate the technology of the wine, prepared on the basis of their own traditions and rituals.

You will see that although this wine is inferior in price to French wine, it tastes like an excellent drink.

Cava sparkling wine is very popular not only in Spain, but also far beyond its borders.

Large quantities of this wine are exported from Spain every year, and its competitor is French champagne.

In 2012, approximately 160 million bottles of cava were exported from the country.

This drink has become one of the most popular in the world due to its quality and affordable price.

These two important points together raise more and more rating this wonderful drink.

All toasts in Spain are usually raised to the clink of glasses filled with cava, the famous Spanish sparkling wine. It is drunk at all banquets and parties, holidays and family celebrations - without this wine it is impossible to imagine a Spanish wedding or christening. This wonderful drink is very popular not only in Spain, but also in many countries around the world.

Cava is constantly compared to champagne, and this is quite natural - it is an excellent alternative to the most famous sparkling wine and is a serious competitor to it. At the same time, in terms of price and quality ratio, kava has a significant advantage.

Spain produces different sparkling wines, but not all of them can be called cava. This name is given only to a certain type of wine. Cava is produced using the classic method of champagne (Methode Champenoise) in a strictly limited region, only from certain grape varieties.

History of creation

The first Spanish sparkling wine, later called Cava, was created in 1872 by Don José Raventos, a representative of the ancient Codorniu winemaking dynasty. He mastered the French method of producing sparkling wines and successfully implemented it at his family winery in Catalonia. Already in 1888, Spanish champagne from the Codorniu cellars received top awards at international competitions. Since then, cava has become extremely popular, and huge numbers of bottles of this wine are now produced for both domestic consumption and export. Until 1970, this wine was called Champana de Cava, which means “champagne from the cellar.” However, the term “champagne” had to be abandoned, since exclusive rights to use it were assigned to France.

Cava DO

According to Spanish law, cava can be produced in several wine regions of the country, each of which has DO status. These are: Rioja, Extremadur, Valencia, Navarre, Aragon. More than 95% of production is located in Catalonia, in the Penedes region. Here, in the town of Sant Sadurní, there are huge cellars of the most famous cava producers - the wine companies Freixenet and Codorniu. They own two-thirds of the total production. There are a large number of small factories around the city. In total, more than one hundred farms produce cava in Spain. More than 200 million bottles of this drink are produced annually for the domestic and foreign markets. Among Spanish wines, cava ranks second in terms of export volume after the famous sherry.

Grape varieties

Cava can only be produced from a few local grape varieties. For white wines, the classic set is: Macabeo, which gives the wine freshness and fruity aroma, Parellada, which enriches the wine with the smell of flowers, and adds acidity to Xarel-lo. They are mixed in different proportions, thus obtaining the necessary bouquet of tastes and aromas.

Other varieties for the production of cava: Subirat or Malvasia and Chardonnay, which has taken root well in Spain. The following varieties are used to produce rosé wines: Garnacha, Monastrell, Pinot Noir and Trepat.

Kava production

Cava is made in the same way as champagne - using the traditional champagne method. Its main thing is the secondary fermentation of wine in bottles, as well as such classical operations as blending, remuage, disgorgement, adding batch and dose liqueurs.

The first stage of fermentation takes place in stainless steel containers. The resulting wine material from different grape varieties is mixed. In this case, wines from previous harvests are partially added.

After blending, the wine is bottled, adding edition liqueur (wine yeast and sugar dissolved in wine), closed with temporary corks and placed in cellars for a period of nine months to three to four years. Secondary fermentation occurs in bottles, resulting in the formation of carbon dioxide trapped inside the bottle. The strength of the wine becomes higher, but the sugar level does not increase.

Subsequently, the bottles, placed in special music stands, are subjected to the “remuage” process. They are rotated around an axis, slightly shaken, and turned over from a horizontal position to a vertical position, with the stopper down. As a result, yeast residues collect as sediment in the neck of the bottle.

In this position, the neck is frozen, the bottle is turned over and the cork is removed. Under the influence of internal pressure formed in the bottle, the frozen residue flies out of it. This procedure for extracting sediment is called “degorgation”.

The volume of the wine is restored with wine from the same batch and a dose of liqueur (sugar dissolved in wine) is added. Its quantity depends on what type of wine you need to get. The bottle is sealed with a permanent cork stopper, reinforced with wire, and kept for some time.

Taste, aroma and types of kava

Cava aromas include fruity and floral tones. The taste contains hints of honey and sweetness.

There are several classifications of cava: by color, sugar content and time spent in the bottle on the lees.

Color. Kava comes in two colors:

white (blanco) - more than 95% of all cava wines produced;
pink (rosado).

Sugar. Like champagne, cava comes in varying degrees of sweetness. Depending on the sugar content, there are the following types of this wine:

Brut Nature: less than 3 g per liter of wine;
Extra Brut (extra brut): less than 6g per liter;
Brut (brut): 7-15 g per liter - the most popular cava outside of Spain;
Extra Seco (extra dry): 12-20 g per liter;
Seco (dry): 17-35 g per liter;
Semiseco (semi-dry): 33-50 g per liter - the most popular cava among Spaniards;
Dulce (sweet): more than 50 g per liter - this wine is produced mainly for export.

It should be borne in mind that a wine designated by one manufacturer as dry may be the same in sweetness as semi-dry from another manufacturer. The term Brut de Brut (very dry) is sometimes used.

Excerpt. There is also a classification of cava based on the number of years the wine has been aged in the bottle.

Cava (aged from 9 months);
Cava Reserva (aged from 15 months);
Cava Gran Reserva (aged from 30 months) - usually Brut Nature and Extra Brut.

Wines that have been aged on the lees for a long period of time are distinguished by a more complex and subtle bouquet and have unusually small bubbles. The year of harvest on cava labels is very rarely indicated, only in exceptional cases.

Kava arrives in stores ready to drink. After purchasing this wine, it is advisable to drink it as quickly as possible - cava is not intended for long-term storage, much less for collecting. For some time, the wine can be kept in a dark and cool, but not cold place.

Cava serving

Cava, like champagne, should be served well chilled. To do this, you can place it in the refrigerator for several hours or in a bucket of water and ice for half an hour. Wines such as champagne and cava should not be chilled in the freezer. Due to a sharp change in temperature, they can lose their quality. The ideal temperature for serving kava is between 5°C and 7°C.