SPAIN - Cava Flashcards
History:
How long have traditional method wines been made in Spain?
History:
Since late 19th century just outside Barcelona
History:
Which families were the early pioneers of cava production
History:
- Ferrer (Freixenet)
- Reventós (Codorniu)
History:
How was Cava defined in the Spanish Law and when?
History:
Sparkling wine made via trad method protected denomination in 1972
History:
In 1989, what did the EU do to Cava?
History:
Officially designated it as a PDO (protected designation of origin) for quality sparkling wine rather than a place
History:
Where can grapes be sourced from?
History:
Lots of non contiguous areas across one third of Spain eg. Rioja and Valencia
Growing Environment:
Where are most of the grapes sourced from and what percentage?
Growing Environment:
95% of grapes and production comes from Penedes
Growing Environment:
What are the principle areas of Cava production?
Growing Environment:
Penedes, Lleida and Tarragona
Growing Environment:
What is the climate in Penedes? How does this affect their Summers and Winters
Growing Environment: Mediterranean climate (bright hot Summers and mild Winters)
Growing Environment:
Ho much rain does Penedes see throughout the season?
Growing Environment:
540mm - MODERATE
Growing Environment:
Where are the vineyards located?
Growing Environment:
coast to inland (200-300m ab sea lev)
Growing Environment:
What are the very highest altitudes in which one might find vineyards for Cava grapes?
Growing Environment:
up to 700 m in rare cases
Growing Environment:
If growing grapes at 700m , what can one expect from acidity and flavor intensity
Growing Environment:
High acidity and flavor intensity (therefore AGEWORTHY) vs wines at lower elevations
Growing Environment:
which soils are found in Penedes?
Growing Environment:
It varies from alluvial clay to stony clay
Growing Environment:
What do the best soils offer to the vine?
Growing Environment:
Low nutrients, good drainage and good water retention
Growing Environment:
What is the regulatory body for Cava?
Growing Environment:
Consejo Regulador del Cava
Growing Environment:
Where is Lleida?
Growing Environment:
In Catalonia. It is a province that contains mountains and high plains
Growing Environment:
What is the climate in Lleida?
Growing Environment:
Mediterranean Climate at lower elevation and continental at higher elevations
Growing Environment:
Why does Lleida need irrigation and from where does the water in the system come?
Growing Environment:
It is arid semi-desert. The irrigation system channels water from the Pyrenees to the vineyards
Growing Environment:
What is the elevation range for vineyards in the Lleida region?
Growing Environment:
100m - 700m elevation
Growing Environment:
What are the two hazards that irrigation may protect vineyards from ?
Growing Environment:
- Drought
- Spring Frost
Growing Environment:
Which important pioneering 2200 ha estate lies In Lleida?
Growing Environment:
Raimat
Growing Environment:
Why is the this large estate considered special?
Growing Environment:
- Largest single vineyard estate owned by one family in Spain (Raventós family)
- It pioneered the growth and use of chardonnay in both Raimat and Codorniu wines
Growing Environment:
What is the difference in fruit grown at lower vs high elevations in Lleida?
Growing Environment:
At higher altitudes, there is fresher fruit and high acidity and at lower elevations, there is riper fruit and lower acidity
Growing Environment:
Where is Tarragona province located?
Growing Environment:
The province lies southwest of Barcelona
Growing Environment:
What is the topography and climate in the Tarragona province?
Growing Environment:
Low lying region with some undulating hills. The climate is Mediterranean
Growing Environment:
Which cava rosado grape is at home here? Which is the dominant of the cava grapes grown here?
Growing Environment:
Trepat and Macabeo
Growing Environment:
Name one other region in Spain that produces cava along with its location
Growing Environment:
Rioja lies in the North of Spain (500km from Barcelona) protected from excessive rain from the Atlantic Ocean by the Cantabrian Mountains
Its vineyards lie at about 425m at their highest in Rioja Alta
Grapes:
Which white grape varieties are used in Cava?
Grapes: Macabeo Parellada Xarello Chardonnay
Grapes: What percentage of the vineyards registered for CAVA are made up of -Macabeo -Xarello -Parellada -Chardonnay
Grapes:
-36% of vineyards registered for cava are MACABEO producing
- 25% of vineyards registered for cava are XARELLO producing
- 20% of vineyards registered for cava are PARELLADA producing
- 9% of vineyards registered for cava are CHARDONNAY producing
Grapes:
Describe Macabeo in terms of the following?
- Budding
- Hazards
- Yields
- Planting Altitudes
- Aromas/characteristics
Grapes:
Macabeo is:
- late budding
- susceptible to botrytis bunch rot and bacterial blight (both preferring warm moist conditions)
- high yielding
- planted at 100m - 300m above sea level typically
- light intensity apple and lemon
Grapes:
Describe Xarello in terms of the following?
- Budding
- Hazards
- Yields
- Planting Altitudes
- Aromas/characteristics
Grapes:
Xarello is:
- mid-budding and ripening
- susceptible to downey mildew, powdery mildew, coulure
- adapts to most soils
- planted at 0m-400 m above sea level
- gooseberry, greengage and FENNEL
Grapes:
Describe Parellada in terms of the following?
- Budding
- Hazards
- Yields
- Planting Altitudes
- Aromas/characteristics
Grapes:
Parellada is:
- early budding and late ripening
- susceptible to spring frosts and powdery mildew
- high yield but lowest of major 3 grapes
- suited to high altitude such as 500m (long season and cool so low sugar and more flavor maturity)
- floral notes and “finesse”
Grapes:
Describe Chardonnay in terms of the following?
- Budding
- Characteristics added to the final blend
Grapes:
Chardonnay is:
- Early budding and early ripening
- body and richness
Grapes:
What red grapes are varieties are used in Cava Rosado ?
Garnacha Tinto
Trepat
Pinot Noir
Monastrell (minor)
Grapes:
What does each red grape variety give to the blend?
Garnacha Tinto - ripe fruit and spice but oxidises easily
Trepat - strawberry and high acid
Pinot Noir - Red fruit and high acid ( used in blanc de noirs a lot)
Grapes:
Which famous local red grape variety is not permitted in Cava Rosado?
Grapes:
Tempranillo is not permitted
Vineyard:
What are the yield like in cava production and is the considered low , medium or hight?
Vineyard:
12000kg/ha which is moderate to high yield
Vineyard:
What is the planting density of vines? Is this considered high medium or low?
Vineyard:
1500-3500 vines /hectare which is considered low density
Vineyard:
Why would the maker of sparkling wines choose this planting density and yield?
Vineyard:
The grapes do not require intensity of flavor in the base wine
Vineyard:
Irrigation may not be used to increase yield but may be used for what?
Vineyard:
protect the future viability of the vineyard and decrease water stress
Vineyard:
Which indigenous cava making grape is sensitive to rootstock choice and why?
Vineyard:
Macabeo because it has very high vigour and if the wrong rootstock chosen, it produces little fruit
Vineyard:
Name at least two hazards to grapes and how they are treated
Vineyard:
- grapevine moth (sexual confusion techniques
- downy and powdery mildew (copper and sulphur treatments as well as canopy management on the north side to encourage cool air flow )
Vineyard:
What might a grower look at to determine if the grape is ready for harvest?
Vineyard:
pH, titratable acidity, sugar levels and glyconic acid (a sign of botrytis)
Vineyard:
Why is Botrytis tested for?
Vineyard:
Its presence in the second fermentation reduces foamability of the final wine and the stability of the final wine (oxidation)
Vineyard:
How are grapes picked?
Vineyard:
By machine or hand
Vineyard:
How does Freixenet pick their grapes and why?
Vineyard:
Freixenet picks by hand as they contract smaller growers to provide their grapes
Vineyard:
How does Codorniu pick their grapes?
Vineyard:
Machine harvest as new machines leave 80% whole berries and they largely pick from their own vineyards in Penedes and Raimat
Vineyard:
You are a grower sending grapes for production of a basic cava, what size bucket will you use to pick and transport grapes?
Is this the same size for premium cava buckets?
Vineyard:
25kg buckets for basic cava and 10kg buckets for premium cava
Vineyard:
You are a winemaker who is relying on high quality grapes from a machine harvester. What can you do to avoid oxidation and maintain acidity
Vineyard:
Harvest early and at night and have your pressing facility close to your vineyards
Winemaking:
Phenolic extraction is the enemy in sparkling wine. How is this avoided in cava making?
Winemaking:
Pneumatic presses are used to gently press the grapes
Winemaking:
What % of black grapes must be used in a rosado and how ?
Winemaking:
25% minimum black grapes with short skin maceration rather then blending red and white base wines
Winemaking:
Yield (hl/ha) is restricted to what in the winery?
Winemaking:
80hl/ha
Winemaking:
Where do winemakers get their yeast?
Winemaking:
Either develop a strain themselves (Freixenet) or buy one in that suits the vintage (Codorniu)
Winemaking:
What vessel and temperatures are used for first fermentation ?
Winemaking:
Large format stainless steel tanks at 14-16oC to maintain delicate primary fruit aromas
Winemaking:
What is the difference between a non vintage champagne and a non vintage cava in terms of reserve wines
Winemaking:
Reserve wines are expensive to store for a region that doesn’t see large vintage variation so the fruit of a non vintage cava is usually from a single vintage
Winemaking:
How has the disgorgement process sped up to just 80 minutes?
Winemaking:
Smooth glass at bottle neck (inc. floc) Selection of certain yeasts to increase flocculation
Replacement of gyropalettes by rotating drums
Winemaking:
Typical dosage levels are what?
Winemaking:
8-9g/L
Winemaking:
What levels of sugar are the quality producers working on?
Winemaking:
Brut Nature
Extra Brut
Brut
Name the most basic cava with minimum lees times , character, quality and price
-Cava:
intensity is light to medium
acidity is medium (+)
aromas of lemon, apple and herbal notes,
light biscuit autolytic notes
can be acidified
9 months min lees ageing
quality is acceptable to good
price is inexpensive to mid
How much of all cava sold is basic cava?
87% of all cava sold
Name the next category in the hierarchy?
What is the minimum lees times , character, quality and price?
Reserva
more autolytic aromas
can be acidified
15 months minimum lees ageing
quality is good to very good quality
mid-priced
Name the next category in the hierarchy?
What is the minimum lees times , character, quality and price?
Gran Reserva
more autolytic character of toast and smoke
can be acidified
30 months on lees
can only be Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
quality is very good to outstanding and
price is premium
Name the next category in the hierarchy from gran reserva?
What is the minimum lees times , character, quality and price?
Cava de Paraje calificado
made of grapes from one estate owned by producer
must be minimum 10 years old
max yield 8000kg/ha and 48hl/ha after pressing
cannot be acidified
36 months on lees
can only be Brut, Extra Brut or Brut Nature
Winemaking:
Is malolactoc conversion generally practised?
Winemaking:
No. It would lead to a loss of acidity which Cava wishes to preserve
Wine Business:
What is the trend of wine sales in Cava ( sales since 2000)?
Wine Business:
They have increased 50% since 2000 but only by small % since 2010
WIne Business:
What percentage of cava is sold domestically and what proportion abroad?
under a third is sold in Spain and the remainder is exported
Wine Business:
What are the total cava shipments annually?
Wine Business:
around 250 million bottles
Wine Business:
What percentage of Cava, Reserva and Gran Reserva, Cava de Parade Calificado is sold
Wine Business:
Cava 87%
Reserva 11%
Gran Reserva and Cava de Paraje Calificado 2%
Recent Developments:
Recent Developments:
2014 - Classic Penedes category established by Penedes DO (all organic, trad method, 15 months on the lees) eg. producer Loxarel
2017 - Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja category established Rioja DOCa (hand harvested, trad method, crianza [15 mnths lees], Reserva [24 mnths], Gran Reserva [36 mnths])
2019 - Corpinnat Group is established with producers leaving Cava DO (all organic, Penedes grapes only, trad method, 18, 30 and 60 month lees categories)
