Spain

Cava

 

A total of 159 municipalities in Spain are approved for the production of cava. For him comparable requirements apply as for the crémant or champagne from France. It is produced by the bottle fermentation process from the white varieties Xarel·lo, Macabeo, Parellada, ie as Blanc de Blancs, but also from Chardonnay grapes and Garnatxa, Monastrell, Trepat and Pinot Noir. The strong and sugar-rich Xarel·lo gives the wine body and alcohol, Parellada ensures the elegance and macabeu with the typical aromas of apple for the fruitiness. The minimum storage time on yeast is nine months for all Cavas, and two years for vintage cava. The Gran Reservas store for at least 30 months on the yeast. The provisions also include that the alcohol content is between 10.8% and 12.8% by volume, in Spain with degrees (°).

96% of the cava production takes place in the wine-growing region of Penedès south of Barcelona. The large wineries such as Freixenet, Codorníu, Juvé y Camps, Marqués de Monistrol or Segura Viudas and Josep Masakhs can be visited at the town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, about 50 km west of Barcelona. The village built on chalk cliffs is undermined by countless mature cellars. More than 200 Cava manufacturers have their home there. Small trains carry there on rails the grapes and bottles under the ground.