Cava
Phylloxera devastated the south of Spain in the late 1800’s, which meant that the existing vineyards had to be ripped out and replanted. A stroke of fate happened when the red grapes of pre-Phylloxera vineyards were re-planted with white grapes. A second stroke of luck happened when Josep Raventós traveled to Champagne.
He realized that all the newly planted white grapes in his vineyards could be used to make a Spanish sparkling wine, in the style of Champagne. His company Codorníu still produces sparkling wine to this day, though they no longer call it Spanish Champagne, today the world knows his creation as Cava.
Cava literally means “cave” in Spanish and refers to the cool caves where the wines were stored and aged before the advent of refrigeration. Though Cava can technically be made in six areas of Spain, the vast majority of production happens in the region of Penedès, near Barcelona. In order to be labeled as Cava, the sparkling wines must be made in the traditional Champagne method—méthode champenoise. This process creates a wine that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle. Any wine that is produced with the bulk, forced carbonation process called charmat must be labeled as “Spanish Sparkling Wine.”
The grapes that go into Cava dictate much of it’s flavor profile and style. The main grapes used in the production of Cava are: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, along with some Chardonnay and Pinot Noir which have been planted recently to appease international palettes. The Macabeo is fairly neutral and will usually make up the bulk of the blend. Parellada is the second most widely used grape. It is generally thought of as the best in quality, with apple and mineral notes a crisp finish. Some Cava is now produced and labeled as varietal Parellada. The Xarel-lo grape is indigenous to the area and produces wines with a strong character—which some people find less than pleasant—and is only used in small amounts for blending.
Cava has a texture similar to most sparkling wines, with tight, well-formed bubbles and crisp acidity. The wine can be produced in styles ranging from totally dry to very sweet, in that order they are: brut (nature), brut extra dry, sec or seco, semisec or semiseco, dolsec and finally dolce.
