Cava

Question 1

History

Answer 1

Made in Spain since 19th century

Centered around San Sadurni D’ Anoia

Question 2

Laws

Answer 2

Introduced in 1972
1986 ‘Methode Champenoise’ became illegal, with SPain entering EU
Cava can be made in many areas

Question 3

Allowed Areas

Answer 3

Catalunya
Provinces of Barcelona
Tarragona
Lerida
Gerona
also:
Rioja
Navarra
Valencia
Extremedura

Question 4

Control body

Answer 4

Consejo Regulador del Cava

CRC

Question 5

Native Varieties

Answer 5

White:
Macabeo
Xarel-lo
Parellada
Black:
Trepat
Garnacha Tinta
Monastrell

Question 6

International Varieties

Answer 6

Chardonnay

Pinor Noir

Question 7

Macabeo

Answer 7

Most widely planted
Fast growing, ripens early
green apple, pear
mediterranean fruits - melon, peach

Question 8

Xarel-lo

Answer 8

Mid-altitude ~ 400m
green fruits
greenage
gooseberry
tropical
past 11.5%
- earthy, rubbery

Question 9

Parellada

Answer 9

ripens last
700-800m
high acid
floral

Question 10

Chardonnay

Answer 10

finesse
fussy
- wants chalk
peach
apricot
tropical

Question 11

Trepat

Answer 11

In cool hills of Conca de Barbera
only used for rosado
redcurrent
strawberry
raspberry

Question 12

Garnacha Tinta

Answer 12

middle, lower Penedes
low acidity
strawberry
pomegranate
fresh dates
complex when handled well

Question 13

Pinot Noir

Answer 13

rosado
Blanc de Noirs
- limited in use
delicate

Question 14

Monastrell

Answer 14

close to extinction
red berry fruit
needs careful handling, can be high alc.

Question 15

Cava Rosado

Answer 15

Trepat
Pinot Noir
Garnacha
Monastrell
all via sangrado method -> saignee
6 hours marceration, max 15
all fermentation off skin
NO BLENDING

Question 16

vinyard practices

Answer 16

recent focus on site selection, and clone selection, rootstocks
move towards natural wine making
- no harmful sprays
cover crops
move from bush vines to trellised
irrigation permitted, but controlled
- drip irrigation

Question 17

Wine making

Answer 17

Cava DO -> traditional method
no destemming -> better juice drainage
max. 100L per 150kg
no enrichment
min. 9months lees
reserva - 15 months
gran reserva - 30 months
- only brut nature, extra brut, brut
10.8 < abv < 12.8%

Question 18

Cava de Paraje Calificado

Answer 18

single small area ( called paraje)
tasting panel
must be vintage
brut
min 36. months lees

Question 19

Total Production

Answer 19

30,000 ha planted
200 million bottles/yr
3/4 exported
- Germany, Belgium, UK, USA, Japan

Question 20

Houses

Answer 20

Codorniu
Freixenet
- total 200 million bottles, 60% of sales
Garcia Carrion
Cavas del Ampurdan
ARCO-Bodegas Unidas
Juve y Camps

Question 21

Codorniu

Answer 21

3.6 million cases

started international grape

Question 22

Freixenet

Answer 22

10 million cases
owns outside spain:
argentina, australia, california, mexico, champagne
50% purchased fruit
dosage liqueur kept in chestnut barrels, solera system
Monastrell-Xarelo
- first white from red cava
opposed to international varieties
Elyssia - prestige cuvee, includes chard, pinot

Question 23

Gramona

Answer 23

58k cases
reputation for fine cava
focus on xarel-lo
sold old wines to champgnoise during phylloxera and ww2
converting to organic , biodynamic
solera dosage