Spanish Sparkling

Question 1

What are the requirements for Cava de Paratge Qualificat (Paraje Calificado)?

Answer 1

Single-estate categories for hand-harvested wines.
Vines must be a minimum 10 years old.
Minimum 36-month tirage.
Minimum TA is 5.5 g/l.
No acidification
Must be vintage-dated.
May only be Brut, Extra Brut, or Brut Nature.

Question 2

What are the Permitted Vine Training/Pruning Systems in cava?

Answer 2

En Vas (Bush)
En Espatllera (Trellis): Cordón (simple or double) or Vara i Polze (simple or double)

Question 3

What are the Authorized Grapes for Cava production?

Answer 3

Blanc / Blanco:
Recommended: Parellada, Macabeu, Xarel·lo
Authorized: Chardonnay, Malvasía
Negre / Tinto: Pinot Noir, Monastrell, Garnatxa Negre, Trepat (Trepat may only be used for rosé)

Question 4

What regions are permitted to make Cava?

Answer 4

Aragón, Euskadi (Basque Country), Catalunya, Extremadura, La Rioja, Navarra, València

Question 5

What are the aging requirements for Cava?

Answer 5

Cava: min. 9 months on the lees
Reserva: min. 15 months on the lees
Gran Reserva: min. 30 months on the lees (Brut, Extra Brut, and Brut Nature only)
Cava de Paratge (Paraje): min. 36 months on the lees

Question 6

WTF is CORPINNAT?

Answer 6

CORPINNAT is a collective European Union brand established with the aim of distinguishing great sparkling wines made in the heart of the Penedès from 100% organic grapes harvested by hand and entirely vinified on the premises of the winery.

The name Corpinnat is formed by the combination of two Spanish words and means “heart of Penedès.”

Question 7

What is the birthplace of cava?

Answer 7

San Sadurní d’Anoi. Here, Jose Raventós of Codorníu introduced método tradicional sparkling winemaking to Spain, in 1872

Question 8

What is the world’s largest producer of sparkling wines,

Answer 8

Freixenet

Question 9

The only Spanish Denominación de Origen that covers a style, rather than a region.

Answer 9

Cava DO

Question 10

Who are the 9 Corpinnat producers to date (2019)

Answer 10

Gramona, Sabaté i Coca, Mas Candí, Ilopart, Torelló, Nadal, Can Feixes, Recaredo, and Julia Bernet.

Question 11

What are the rules for CORPINNAT?

Answer 11

Members of Corpinnat must adhere to a strict set of production rules, including 100% organic grapes, manual harvest, at least 18 months’ ageing (but with some wines aged for more than 30 and more than 60 months), the inclusion of the wine grower in the value chain and carrying out all vinification in their own winery.