When it comes to Cava sparkling wine in Spain, people who are new to it may not know it; but when it comes to champagne, it is estimated that laymen have heard it. In fact, the more you dig deeper, you will find that cava and champagne are very similar, probably because the two are produced in the same way. Of course, kava also has its own uniqueness, and its price is often more affordable.
1, a picture to take you a brief understanding of kava sparkling wine
2) The vast majority of kava is produced in Penedes, Catalonia
A total of 33,591 hectares of registered land are used to grow cava wine grapes, of which 95% are located in Penedes, Spain. Penedes, the modern winemaking hub of Spain, is rich in sparkling wines and is the largest and most important legal appellation in the autonomous region of Catalonia, not only in terms of the area under cultivation and the yield of the wine, but also in its quality. Penedes' proximity to the Catalan capital provides an off-the-shelf market for its wines, as well as a gateway for wine exports. As the kava sparkling winemaking industry continues to grow, winemakers in Penedes have improved their processing techniques and continuously improved the quality of their wines. Today, the wines of the Penedes region already enjoy a high reputation worldwide. Of course, in addition to kava, there are also red wines aged in oak barrels.
Other appellations such as Aragon, Badajoz, Castille and Leon, Extremadura, Valencia, Navarra and Rioja also produce small amounts of cava; in addition, sparkling wine from non-statutory appellations cannot be called kava.
3. The quality grade of kava
(1) Ordinary kava
Ordinary kava is at the lowest level, and this wine must be aged in puree for 9 months, which is the minimum requirement for the production of kava.
(2) Treasure Kava
Reserva Cava is of a higher grade and must be aged for 15 months, similar to the requirements of some non-vintage champagnes.
(3) Special collection
Gran Reserva kava has been aged for at least 30 months, some with a vintage, and the label will generally have the words "Brut nature (0-3 g/L)", "Extra Brut (less than 6 g/L)" or "Brut (less than 12 g/L)" on the label to indicate sweetness.
Overall, the Collector's and Grand Collection's cava will be more powerful and complex, and due to the long period of puree aging, its texture will be richer, and some yeast aromas will be derived.
It is worth mentioning that, like Champagne, most kavas have no age, and the vintage kava also needs to be aged for 30 months, while the vintage champagne must go through 36 months.
4. Kava is mainly made of 3 kinds of white grapes
(1) Ma Jiabao
Macabeo is often used as a base wine in blends, so the largest proportion and most important proportion of kava, this grape ripens with lemon sauce, almond paste, yellow flowers, citrus and stone fruit flavors, and also provides cava with a certain floral aroma (including bergamot and citrus) as well as complexity and elegance. In addition, by increasing the body and acidity of the wine, Ma Jia Po can also extend the aging potential of kava.
Sometimes, The Collector's and Grand Prize Kava is also brewed with 100% Ma Jia Po. It is worth mentioning that MaJiabo and Viura in Rioja belong to the same variety, but are often used to make local white wines.
(2) Charrelo
Xarello gives kava fruity notes such as citrus and apple, as well as sharp acidity and freshness.
(3) Pareada
Parellada often gives kava a medium-thick texture and body, but also yellow apples, citrus, yellow flowers and fresh nutty flavors, as well as enough acidity and freshness.
(4) Others
The red grape variety Trepat is generally used to make rosé kava, which can bring safflower aromas, and more importantly, it can increase the body of the wine and give the sparkling wine a certain color. In addition, Garnacha, Pinot Noir and Monastrell are sometimes used to brew kava.
In addition to these native varieties, cava can also be brewed with Chardonnay. Although some producers believe that the adoption of Chardonnay will reduce the regional character of Cava, there are still many treasures and even special collections containing a high proportion of Chardonnay.
5. Like Champagne, cava is produced using the traditional brewing method
Like Champagne, kava is produced using the traditional brewing method, so it is also fermented in the bottle. This is why Kava seems to be a greater "market threat" to Champagne than Prosecco, Italy, which uses canned fermentation. In particular, the majority of ordinary-grade kavas are now on the market, and because the price is more affordable, they often compete with Champagne to seize market share.
The specific brewing process of kava is as follows:
(1) The different base wines are fermented separately according to the brewing method of ordinary wines, and then the base wines used for blending are mixed and mixed;
(2) Add sugar/unfermented grape juice and yeast to the mixed base wine and bottle it so that the secondary fermentation process can begin;
(3) During the fermentation process, carbon dioxide will dissolve in the liquor, and then form bubbles;
(4) The liquor will continue to age with the dead yeast, and the minimum time shall not be less than 9 months. During this process, the distillery will carry out operations such as bottling and slag removal of kava to allow sediment such as yeast at the bottom of the bottle to drain out of the bottle;
(5) In order to fill the gap in the bottle, it is necessary to add base wine or sugar to add liquid, and it can be bottled after completion.
It is important to note that aging with yeast can enrich and complex the palate flavor of kava, while bringing some aromas such as raw dough, white chocolate and almond protein milk sugar. The longer it ages, the more complex the flavor of the kava.
6, Kava is a passionate bullfighter
Probably influenced by the Spanish bullfighting culture, the kava produced here is also more or less contaminated with these colors. Especially in terms of taste, if champagne is a polite gentleman, then kava is definitely a passionate matador. Because it often has a rich and flexible floral and fruit aroma, lime and other fresh fruit flavors make the taste is also very fresh and refreshing, sometimes accompanied by some earthy and even mushroom scents. In addition, vintage kava contains more nuts, toast and toasted almond flavors, and even brioche, almond peel, roasted hazelnuts and smoky notes, all thanks to the long aging of kava.
It is worth mentioning that kava is not as advertised as champagne, it can be said that it is relatively low-key; of course, without the so-called promotion cost, the price of kava is often more affordable, even only about 1/3 of champagne, so it is more likely to be recognized by the general public.
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