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DipWSET - D4 - Sparkling Wine > 4. Cava > Flashcards

4. Cava Flashcards

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1
Q

Where in Spain is Cava traditionally made? And where is most of it now produced?

A

In Cataluna, in the area around Barcelona (north east Spain).
Now made mostly in Penedes.

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2
Q

When did the term Cava become legally recognised as a PDO?

A

1972 - When Spain entered the EU.

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3
Q

What is different/interesting about the Cava PDO?

A

It is for a production style rather than a place - grapes can be sourced from a number of different, unconnected areas.

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4
Q

What is the climate like in Penedes?

A

Mediterranean (sunny summers, mild winters, moderate rainfall year-round)

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5
Q

What are two varying environmental factors in Penedes?

A

The altitude - ranging from the coast up to 700-800 metres, with the majority grown at 200-300 metres.
The soil - alluvial soil and clay and low altitude, and stony clay and granite at higher altitudes.

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6
Q

How does altitude effect the final wine style?

A

Higher altitude grown grapes will have more flavour and higher acidity and will produce more age-worthy wines.

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7
Q

What is the climate like in Lleida?

A

Coastal mountains, including a high plane. Mediterranean at the coast and increasingly continental at altitude.

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8
Q

How has the Lleida province been made viable for grape growing?

A

Formerly a semi-desert and made viable by irrigation systems from the Pyrenees, providing feritlity but also frost protection.

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9
Q

Why is the Lleida province important?

A

It is where the Raimat estate is - which is the largest single vineyard estate owned by one family (2200 hectares), owned by the Raventos (who also own Codorniu). Pioneered growing Chardonnay.

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10
Q

What is the climate like in Tarragona?

A

Mediterranean, low lying undulating hills.

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11
Q

What are the wines like from Tarragona?

What speciality is grown here and where specifically?

A

Simple, Macabao based for early drinking.

Trepat - the black grape increasingly valued for Rosado, grown in the Conca de Barbera region

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12
Q

Apart from Penedes, Lleida and Tarragona, what is the other important growing area?

A

Rioja - sheltered by the Cantabrian mountains, particularly the Rioja ALta regions with high altitude. They grow Macabeo (Viura) and Chardonnay.

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13
Q

What are the principal varieties used?

A

Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. Chardonnay less so but still significantly.

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14
Q

Describe Macabeo. (8)

A
  1. 36% of plantings
  2. Typically planted at 100-300 metres
  3. Late budding
  4. Picked first (early ripening?)
  5. High yielding
  6. Susceptible to Botrytis and bacterial blight
  7. Light intensity apple and lemon
  8. Can be a single variety Cava where it is the only planting, but increasingly blended with Chardonnay
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15
Q

Describe Xarel-lo. (8)

A
  1. 25% percent of plantings
  2. Planted at 0-400 metres
  3. Mid-budding
  4. Mid-ripening
  5. Susceptible to powdery and downy
  6. Aromas of gooseberry and herbal notes, can become earthy when overripe.
  7. Indigenous to Cataluna
  8. Has a reasonable affinity with oak
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16
Q

Describe Parellada. (8)

A
  1. 20% of plantings
  2. Planted on higher sites (500m)
  3. Early-budding
  4. Late ripening
  5. Low yielding
  6. Susceptible to powdery
  7. Needs altitude to give a long ripening period without gaining excessive alcohol
  8. Adds finesse and floral character
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17
Q

Describe Chardonnay. (3)

A
  1. 9% of plantings
  2. Adds body, richness and finesse
  3. Needs to be the right clone and rootstock as to to ripen too quickly in this climate
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18
Q

What are the four black grape varieties planted?

A
  1. Garnacha Tinta - oxidises easily, adds ripe red fruit character
  2. Trepat - only legally for Rosado, adds acidity and strawberry flavour
  3. Pinot Noir - Rosado, blends and BdN
  4. Monastrell - allowed but rarely used
    NOTE - Tempranillo not allowed
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19
Q

What are the maximum yields for Cava?

A

12,000kg/hectare

80hL/ha

20
Q

Is irrigation allowed?

A

Very strictly controlled. Permitted only for relieving hydric stress, not permitted for increasing yields.

21
Q

How are vines typically planted/trained/trellised?

A

Low-moderate density, traditional bush vines or single/double cordon.

22
Q

What rootstocks are used?

A

Unspecified, but chosen to control vigour and be lime resistant when necessary.

23
Q

What threats are present in the vineyards growing Cava?

How are they combatted?

A

Downy mildew form misty mornings.
Powdery mildew in dry weather.
Grapevine moth.
Combatted by copper and sulphur, as well as leaf plucking to aid air circulation

24
Q

When is picking date?

A

When pH/sugar/acidity levels are tested and accurate. Low phenolic ripeness and low potential alcohol are desired.

25
Q

What is the recent development grape testing at harvest?

A

Testing for gluconic acid values which is an indicator of botrytis levels. Too high can lead to secondary fermentation problems, grapes will be rejected.

26
Q

What is the harvest like?

A

90% by hand - because of fragmented ownership and uneven terrain. For example:
Freixenet buys from lots of small growers, so is all by hand.
Codorniu own a lot of their own, and so machine harvest.

27
Q

What kind of press is used for Cava?

A

Pneumatic, so it can be gentle and extract as little phenolic content as possible.

28
Q

How is rose Cava made?

A

With at least 25% red grapes, and by skin maceration (not blending)

29
Q

Yeast/MLF?

A 
Cultured yeast (either self-cultured or purchased).
No MLF.
30
Q

Are reserve wines used?

A

Typically not, even if the wine is marketed as NV or not. Vintage variation is not frequent.

31
Q

How are the wines disgorged?

What are the recent developments that has increased disgorgment speed?

A

Traditionally by hand, but then mostly by Gyropalette.

  1. Selected yeast that flocculates easily.
  2. Smooth glass on the inside
  3. Automated rotating drum
    - total time can be 80 minutes
32
Q

What is the typical sweetness level?

A

Brut - 8-9g/L dosage.
Medium-dry is popular in some markets.
Quality producers are expanding into Brut Nature.

33
Q

What are the three main categories of Cava?

A

Cava
Cava Reserva
Cava Gran Reserva

34
Q

What are the requirements for for the Cava category?

What is it’s typical style?

A
  1. Minimum 9 months lees post tirage

2. Light-med intensity lemon, apple and herbal notes. Light biscuit notes, med-med+ acid. Acceptable to good.

35
Q

What are the requirements for the Cava Reserva category?

What is it’s typical style?

A
  1. 15 months minimum on lees

2. Similar flavours profile as Cava, but with more prevalent autolytic notes. Good-very good quality and mid-priced

36
Q

What are the requirements for Cava Gran Reserva?

What is it’s typical style?

A
  1. 30 months minimum on lees
  2. May only by Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
  3. Pronounced toasty, smoky, autolytic notes. Very good-outstanding, premium price.
37
Q

What is the name of the new quality category?

What are it’s requirements? (7)

A

Cava de Paraje Calificado.

  1. Single estate/single vineyard
  2. Produced on the premise by the owner.
  3. Minimum 10-year vine age
  4. Maximum yields of 48hL/ha
  5. Cannot be acidified
  6. 36 months on lees
  7. Must be Brut level or lower
38
Q

Who are the governing board?

A

Consejo Regulador del Cava

39
Q

Who are the four seperate registrars kept by the Consejo Regulador del Cava?
What is typical about these registers?

A
  1. growers
  2. producers of base wines
  3. storekeepers of base wines
  4. Cava producers
    It is common for producers to be registered on all four.
40
Q

What is the percentage of production that the two biggest companies are responsible for, and what are there names?

A

Freixenet and Codorniu.

75% of total production.

41
Q

What role do co-ops play and who is the biggest?

A

Co-ops are typically producers of base wines. The biggest is Cevipe - 55 million kilos of grapes, but make no Cava

42
Q

What is the domestic/exported split of production?

A

1/3 consumed in Spain, 2/3 exported.

43
Q

How have sales tracked in the last 40 years?

A

Steady growth from 1980 to 2010 but plateaued since then.

44
Q

What is the percentage split of each category of Cava?

A

Regular Cava - 87%
Reserva - 11%
Gran Reserva/Paraje Calificado - 2%
Rosado - 8%

45
Q

What is the name of the producer group that some quality producers formed in 2019?
What are it’s regulations?

A 
Corpinnat.
100% organic grapes.
Grown in Penedes
Hand harvested
Estate grown and vinified.
18, 30 or 60 months lees ageing.
46
Q

What are the two Spanish regions that created their own categories for sparkling wines, and what are they?

A

Penedes DO - Classic Penedes (Organic, traditional or ancestral method, 15 months on lees)
Rioja DOCa - Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja (hand harvested, traditional method, Crianza - 15 mth/Reserva - 24 mth/Gran Anada - 36 mth)

DipWSET - D4 - Sparkling Wine (18 decks)

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