Cava

Question 1

What is cava?

Answer 1

Traditional method sparkling wine from Spain, est late 19th century. Enshrined in Spanish law 1972

Question 2

When did Spain join the EU? When was Cava given PDO status?

Answer 2

EU 1986, PDO 1989

Question 3

Three most important Cavaliers growing regions?

Answer 3

Penedès, Lleida and Tarragona

Question 4

Where is Penedès?

Answer 4

Cataluña

Question 5

Climate of Penedès

Answer 5

Mediterranean climate with bright, sunny summers, mild winters and moderate rainfall (540mm) spread through the year

Question 6

Penedès soils and altitude

Answer 6

Varied altitude. Majority 200-300m, a few 700-800m.
Alluvial and clay at lower levels, stony clay and granite subsoils at higher altitudes. All soils poor in nutrients, with adequate drainage and water retention

Question 7

How do grape flavours differ with altitude?

Answer 7

Macabeo (Viura) grown in high altitude have higher acidity and more flavour, plus an ability to age well, versus lower altitude, which has less across the board

Question 8

Principal towns for Cava production in Penedès

Answer 8

Sant Sadurní d’Anoia and Vilafranca del Penedès (latter Consejo headquarters)

Question 9

Lleida (Lérida) province overview

Answer 9

Lleida is Catalan name, Lérida is Spanish. Land rises up the mountain, 100-700m. Mediterranean climate, close to coast, increasing continental influence further inland. Irrigation from Pyrenees makes viticulture viable and can provide frost protection in spring.

Question 10

Which province is the 2200ha Raimat Estate in and who owns it

Answer 10

Lleida province and Raventós family

Question 11

Tarragona province overview

Answer 11

Mainly low lying or undulating hills, Mediterranean climate. Simple, easy drinking, Macabeo-based wines. Conca de Barberà is here

Question 12

What is Trepat

Answer 12

Black variety, used to make Cava Rosado. Based in Tarragona province within Conca de Barberà

Question 13

Rioja for Cava production

Answer 13

Northern Spain, where the Cantabrian Mountains protect region from massive rainfall coming from Atlantic (eg Rioja Alta at 425m). Macabeo (Viura) and Chardonnay only. The former ripens much later in Rioja than in Penedès

Question 14

Macabeo (Viura)

Answer 14

37% vineyards. 100-300m altitude in Penedès, higher vineyards in Rioja and Lleida. Late budding, high yielding. Susceptible to botrytis and bacterial blight. Light intensity, apple & lemon. Often blended with Chardonnay

Question 15

Xarel-lo

Answer 15

26% of vineyards registered for Cava. Planted at sea level and up to 400m. Indigenous to Cataluña, mid-budding and ripening. Susceptible to powdery and downy mildew, otherwise good disease resistance. Green plum & gooseberry, herbal (fennel). Reasonable with oak.

Question 16

Parellada

Answer 16

19% Cava vineyards. Planted to higher sites (500m). Indigenous to Cataluña, early budding, low yielding and late ripening. Best in high altitudes, susceptible to powdery mildew. Adds finesse and floral

Question 17

Chardonnay

Answer 17

9% of vineyards for Cava, adds body, fitness and richness. Clone and rootstock choice are vital for balanced ripeness as it typically ripens fast, accumulating too much potential alcohol

Question 18

Garnacha Tinta

Answer 18

Used less as it oxidises quickly. Contributes red fruit and spice

Question 19

Trepat

Answer 19

Local to Conca del Barberà. Strawberry flavours and high acidity. Can legally only be used in rosado production

Question 20

Pinot Noir

Answer 20

Used for rosado blends or Blanc de noirs

Question 21

Which popular Spanish grape is not allowed in Cava production?

Answer 21

Tempranillo

Question 22

Vine density planting

Answer 22

1500-3000 vines per hectare

Question 23

Vine training?

Answer 23

Single or double cordon or traditional bush vines

Question 24

Irrigation?

Answer 24

Permitted, strictly controlled, relieve hydric stress and protect future viability of vineyards

Question 25

Rootstocks?

Answer 25

Chosen with lime tolerance (41B) in mind and to control vigour (420A and 3309C)

Question 26

Natural threats?

Answer 26

Misty humid mornings - botrytis and downy (treated with copper and sulfur, canopy management and leaf thinning)
Dry weather - powdery mildew
Grapevine moth (sexual confusion)

Question 27

Recent testing developments?

Answer 27

Gluconic acid values - botrytis infection

Question 28

Harvesting?

Answer 28

90% done by hand due to uneven terrain and scattered vineyard ownership. Mechanical harvesting has improved so berries can be machine harvested with 80% whole berries

Question 29

Pressing techniques

Answer 29

Pneumatic most common for gentle pressing and minimal extraction of phenolics

Question 30

Rosado winemaking

Answer 30

25% black grapes, maceration. 79 hl/ha limit, 100L/150kgs

Question 31

Vintage? Non vintage? Use of reserve wine?

Answer 31

Not common, too expensive. Cost of grapes lowest in the world at 30 cents per kilo (20 times less than of Champagne’s 7€). Wines are typically if one year, regardless if NV or Vintage stated

Question 32

First Fermentation

Answer 32

Stainless steel, no malo, 14-16*c to preserve fruit. Bottles with smooth inside glass to assist in flocculation. Automated rotating drum replacing gyro palette, disgorging complete in 80 minutes

Question 33

Styles?

Answer 33

Brut 8-9g/L is common
Medium dry (Demi seco) popular in local Spanish and German market
Brut Nature coming into fashion

Question 34

Cava lees aging rules and typical flavours

Answer 34

Minimum 9 months on lees. Light to medium intensity, lemon, apple and herbal notes. Light brioche/biscuits autolytic notes, med to med (+) acid. Acceptable to good, inexpensive to mid priced

Question 35

Cava Reserva lees aging and typical flavours

Answer 35

Minimum 15 months on lees, apple & lemon, herbal, more evident autolytic notes. Good to very good quality, mid priced.

Question 36

Cava Gran Reserva lees aging and typical flavours

Answer 36

Minimum 30 months on lees, pronounced toasty, smoky and autolytic characters. Very good to outstanding quality and premium in price

Question 37

Cava de Guarda

Answer 37

New name for young Cava DO. Minimum 9 months on lees. Wine must be traceable from vineyard to bottle

Question 38

Cava de Guarda Superior

Answer 38

Includes Cava Reserva, Cava Gran Reserva and Cava de Paraje Calificado (single estate). All wines labeled this way must:
- be made from minimum 10yo vines
- certified organically grown
- max 10 tonnes per hectare
- traceable from vineyard to bottle
- state the year of harvest

Can also use ‘100% Integral Producer’ if estate produced

Question 39

What are the four registers administered by the Consejo Regulador del Cava?

Answer 39

• growers
• producers of base wines
• store keepers of base wines
• cava producers
  All seperate, but feasible for a Cava producer to be all four

Question 40

Two largest producers?

Answer 40

Freixenet and Codorníu - produce 75% of all finished Cava

Question 41

Largest co-op?

Answer 41

Cevipe- processes 55 million kilos of grapes, produces no finished Cava. Sells base wine to companies

Question 42

Rapid growth for export?

Answer 42

1980-2010. Plateaued since then.

Question 43

Highest volume export markets

Answer 43

Germany, Belgium, UK, USA

Question 44

Penedès DO developments

Answer 44

‘Classic Penedès’ est 2014, must be certified organic grown within the Penedès DO. Traditional method, 15 months on lees. Used by Albet I Noya and Loxarel.

‘Corpinnat’ est 2019 after leaving Cava DO. Must be certified organic grown, hand harvested, within the Penedès DO. Traditional method, 90% of grapes are approved local varieties, months on lees becomes named category - 18, 30 and 60 months. Used by Gramona and Recaredo.