Cava Flashcards
Cava
History and general info
- Since the late 19th century
- Cataluñia, near Barcelona
- Early pioneers included members of the Ferrer and Raventos families, founders of Freixenet and Codorníu (biggest producers today)
- Word cava informally used since the 60’s / enshrined in spanish law in 1972
- 1986 Cava was recognised as a quality sparkling wine froma specific region / Sapin joined the EU
- 1989 the EU authorities gave it PDO status named after a wine, rather than a place / grapes can be sourced from a number of different areas
- Wine production regulated and overseen by the Cosejo Regulador del Cava
- Taditionally made from 3 local varieties: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada / Chardonnay is increasingly used in blends
Cava
Location
- Most grapes are grown within the area of Cataluña known as Comtas de Barcelona (95%) / also Valle del Ebro, Viñedo de Almendralejo
- Most important areas: Penedès, Lleida, Terragona
Cava: Location and climate
Cataluña
Main area around Sant Sadurnì d’Anoia in Comtas de Barcelona zone:
- Mediterranean climate / bright sunny summers, mild winters / moderate rainfall (540mm) spread through the year
- Range from the coast to higher altitudes inland (200-300mm) / a minority of vineyards at 700-800m asl (cool summer night = higher acidity + more intense flavours)
- Alluvial soils and clay at lower altitudes / stony clay and granite subsoils at higher altitudes / all soils relatively poor in nutrients with adeguate drainage and water retention
- Principal towns: Sant Sadurnì d’Anoia / Vilafrance de Penedes (headquarters of the Cosejo)
Pla de Ponent subzone of Comtats de Barcelona:
- Lleida/Lerida province
- rises up to the mountains (range is 100-700m)
- Mediterranean climate near the coast / incrementing continental influence further inland
- Irrigation system with water from the Pyrenees transformed this former semi-desert into productive vineyard land / also used to provide frost protection in spring
- Riper fruit flavours from lower altitudes / Fresher flavours and higher acidity at higher altitude
Conca the Barberà:
- Between the coast and Lleida
- Home of Trepat = Black variety increasingly valued for Cava Rosado (rosè)
Cava: Location and climate
Other areas of Northern spain
Valle del Ebro:
- Cantabrian mountains protect the region from excessive rainfall from the Atlantic
- High altitude (Rioja Alta at 425m asl)
- Only variety used for Cava is Viura (Macabeo) and Chardonnay
- Macabeo ripens much later than in Penedes (where is grown at lower altitude)
Cava: Grape varieties
Macabeo
- 37% of vineyards registered for Cava
- Typically planted at 100-300m in Penedes / Higher plantings in Rioja and Lleida
- Late budding = less risk from spring frost
- Picked first / high yealding
- Susceptible to botrytis bunch rot and bacterial blight
- Light intensity apple and lemon aromas and flavours
- Only spanish indigenous white variety planted in areas outside of Cataluña
- Incresingly blended with Chardonnay
Viura in Rioja
Bacterial blight = serious disease associated with warm, moist conditions which reduces yields and for which there is no cure
Cava: Grape varieties
Xarel-lo
- 26% of vineyards registered for Cava
- Typically planted at sea level and up to as high as 400m in Penedès
- Indigenous to Cataluña
- Mid-budding = prone to spring frost
- Mid ripening = prone to powdery and downy mildew (otherwise as good disease resistance)
- Greengage and gooseberry notes /. herbal notes (fennel) / hearthy when over-ripe
- Reasonable affinity to oak
Cava: Grape varieties
Parellada
- Makes up 19% of the vineyards registered for Cava
- Typically planted on higher sites (500m) in Penedès
- Indigenous to Cataluña
- Lowest yealding / Latest ripening (of the 3 indigenous variety)
- Best vineyards are planted at highest altitudes (needs altitude for a long-ripening season to reach flavour maturity without excessive potential alcohol)
- adds finesse and floral notes
- Early budding (prone to spring frost) / susceptible to powdery mildew
Cava: grape varieties
Black grape varieties
Garnacha tinta: tends to oxidise (used less and less) / contributes ripe red fruit and spice notes
Trepat: variety local to Conca del Barberà / strawberry flavours + high acidity / legally only used for Rosado
Pinot Noir: used for Rosado blends and as single variety / often made into Blanc de Noir
Monastrell: allowed but little used
Tempranillo: not permitted
Cava
Vineyard management
- Typically low to moderate intensity (1500-3500vines/hectare)
- bush vines or single/double cordon
- low-density vineyards with moderately high yealds (no need for intense primary flavours)
- Irrigation is permitted though strictly controlled
- Lime tolerant rootstocks (when needed) / vigour control rootstocks (particularloy important for Macabeo: excessive green growth when on wrong rootstock)
- misty humid mornings = botrytis and downy mildew can be a threat / powdery mildew can be an issue during dry weather (copper and sulfur to counteract them)
- Canopy management measures: aid air circulation (removing leaves from the north side of the row) and reduce shade
- Grapevine moth is an issue (sometimes treat with sexual confusion techniques)
Cava
Harvest
- Grapes typically tested for sugar levels, acidity and pH (to decide picking date)
- Full phenolic ripeness not needed (juice will be extract quickly to avoid phenolic pick up)
- low potential alcohol and high acidity are important criteria in setting a harvest date (earlier than for still wines)
- Test for gluconic acid values (indicator of botrytis infection): high levels might have a negative effect during secondary fermentation resulting in drop in wine stability / grapes with high levels are rejected
- Mechanical harvest or by hand (90%)
- Mechanical harvest can deliver 80% whole berries / grapes picked at night
- Hadpicked grapes are selected in the vineyard / transported in 25kg crates
- Premium fruit transported in smaller 10kg crates to avoid grape splitting
- Whole bunch pressing /
- Big companies press fruit in the region where they are grown to reduce oxidation and mantain quality / juice is refrigerated and transported to the main wineries in Sant Sadurnì d’Anoia
