8. Cava Flashcards

1
Q

What is the name of the industry body that oversees Cava production?

A

Consejo Regulador del Cava

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2
Q

What are the three traditional varieties used in Cava production?

A

1) Macabeo
2) Xarel-lo
3) Parellada

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3
Q

What international variety is increasingly used?

A

Chardonnay

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4
Q

In which region is most fruit for Cava grown and most Cava produced?

A

Penedes, Cataluna

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5
Q

What is the climate of Penedes?

A

Mediterranean

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6
Q

Up to what altitude are vines planted in Penedes?

A

200-300m and as high as 700-800m

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7
Q

What are the two general soil types of Penedes?

A

1) Alluvial soils and clay at lower altitudes
2) Stony clay and granite at higher altitudes

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8
Q

What makes Penedes soil types suitable for viticulture? (3)

A

Low in nutrients
Good drainage
Adequate water retention

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9
Q

What is the climate of Lleida/Lerida?

A

Mediterranean near the coast with continental influences inland.

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10
Q

What has allowed the former semi-desert region of Lleide/Lerida to grown grapes?

A

An irrigation system with water from the Pyrenees.

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11
Q

What is the climate of Tarragona?

A

Mediterranean

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12
Q

What is the main grape variety planted in Tarragona?

A

Macabeo.

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13
Q

What are the four black grape varieties used in Cava production?

A

1) Garnacha Tinta
2) Trepat
3) Pinot Noir
4) Monastrell

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14
Q

At what altitude is Macabeo typically planted?

A

100-300m

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15
Q

When does Macabeo bud?

A

Late

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16
Q

Which of the local varieties is picked first?

A

Macabeo

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17
Q

What is Macabeo susceptible to? (2)

A

1) Botrytis
2) Bacterial blight

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18
Q

What is the most widely planted grape variety for Cava?

A

Macabeo

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19
Q

At what altitude is Xarel-lo typically planted?

A

0-400m

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20
Q

When does Xarel-lo bud and ripen?

A

Mid-budding & mid-ripening

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21
Q

What is Xarel-lo susceptible to? (2)

A

1) Powdery mildew
2) Downy mildew

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22
Q

At what altitude is Parellada typically planted?

A

~500m

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23
Q

What is the latest ripening local variety?

A

Parellada

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24
Q

What is the lowest yielding local variety?

A

Parellada

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25
Q

When does Parellada bud?

A

Early

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26
Q

When does Parellada ripen?

A

Late

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27
Q

What is Parellada susceptible to?

A

Powdery mildew

28
Q

What common Spanish variety is not permitted in the production of Cava (rosado)?

A

Tempranillo

29
Q

At what densities are vines for Cava production planted?

A

1,500-3,500 vines/ha

30
Q

How are Cava vines trained?

A

1) Bush
2) Single/double cordon

31
Q

When is irrigation permitted?

A

To relieve extreme hydric stress

32
Q

For what two reasons are rootstocks chosen?

A

1) Tolerance to lime
2) To control vigour

33
Q

How are vineyards treated to counteract both mildews and botrytis?

A

Copper and sulfur

34
Q

What canopy management technique assists with rot prevention?

A

Removing leaves from the north side of the row to aid air circulation and reduce shade.

35
Q

What is the main pest in Cava vineyards and how is it managed?

A

1) Grapevine moth
2) Sexual confusion

36
Q

Why is 90% of fruit hand harvested? (2)

A

1) Scattered ownership
2) Uneven terrain

37
Q

In what size crates is basic and premium fruit loaded for transport?

A

1) 25kg
2) 10kg

38
Q

How must Rosado be produced?

A

25% black grapes by skin contact.

39
Q

What is the maximum yield for Cava?

A

79 hL/ha
100 litres from 150kg

40
Q

What are two reasons why the use of reserve wines uncommon?

A

1) Vintage variation is limited
2) To keep costs down

41
Q

How has fast disgorge been achieved? (3)

A

1) Gyropalettes
2) Yeast strain selection for quick flocculation
3) Bottles with smooth inside glass

42
Q

What sweetness is most Cava?

A

Brut (8-9 g/L)

43
Q

In which markets is Medium-Dry (Semi-Secco) popular?

A

Spain & Germany

44
Q

What were the three original categories of Cava?

A

1) Cava
2) Cava Reserva
3) Cava Gran Reserva

45
Q

What is the minimum lees ageing term for Cava?

A

9 months

46
Q

What is the minimum lees ageing term for Cava Reserva?

A

18 months.

47
Q

What is the minimum lees ageing term for Cava Gran Reserva?

A

30 months.

48
Q

In what year was Cava de Paraje Calificado established?

A

2017

49
Q

Why was Cava de Paraje Calificado established?

A

In response to discontent with the perceived image of Cava as an inexpensive wine of only good quality.

50
Q

What is the new name for young Cava DO?

A

Cava de Guarda

51
Q

What category now includes Cava Gran Reserva and Cava Reserva?

A

Cava de Guarda Superior

52
Q

In addition to the minimum lees ageing term of Cava DO, Cava de Guarda must also be what?

A

Traceable from vineyard to bottle.

53
Q

What are the additional five requirements of Cava de Guarda Superior?
Vine age
Fruit production
Yield
Accountability
Labelling

A

1) Minimum vine age of 10 years
2) Certified grown organically
3) Maximum yield of 10 tonnes/ha
4) Traceable from vineyard to bottle
5) State year of harvest

54
Q

In addition to the five requirements of Cava de Guarda Superior, Cava de Guarda Superior wines may also use what labelling term?

A

100% Integral Producer/Elaboraderes Integrales if the company carries out the entire production itself.

55
Q

What are the four separate registers the Consejo Regulador del Cava maintains?

A

1) Growers
2) Producers of base wine
3) Storekeepers of base wines
4) Cava producers

56
Q

May a Cava producer feature on more than one Consejo Regulador del Cava register?

A

Yes

57
Q

What are the four main export markets for Cava?

A

1) Germany
2) Belgium
3) UK
4) USA

58
Q

What is the current trend of Cava sales?

A

Plateaued since 2010

59
Q

What is Classic Penedes? (4)
When
Method
Ageing
Fruit (not varieties)

A

1) A sparkling wine category introduced in 2014
2) Wines made using certified organic fruit
3) Traditional method
4) Minimum 15 months ageing

60
Q

What is Corpinnat? (5)

A

A producer group committed to making traditional method wines with:

1) 100% certified organic grapes
2) 90% local varieties
3) Grown in Penedes
4) Hand-harvested
5) Vinified entirely on the premises of the winery

61
Q

What are the three minimum ageing categories within Corpinnat?

A

1) 18
2) 30
3) 60 months

62
Q

What are the two requirements of Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja?

A

1) Hand-harvest
2) Traditional method

63
Q

What are the three tiers of Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja?

A

1) Crianza (lees for 15 months)
2) Reserva (24 months)
3) Grana Anada (36 months)

64
Q

What is Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja?

A

A classification approved in 2017 by Rioja DOCa that approved the name Rioja for sparkling wine production.

65
Q

In which city are the main wineries?

A

Sant Sadurni d’Anoia