July 12th marks International Cava Day, so what better time to celebrate this sparkling – and somewhat misunderstood – wine, says David Carne

It seems that Cava has gone out of fashion in the UK, eclipsed by the explosion of Prosecco into the UK market. Our perceptions of Cava are perhaps unfairly based on the belief that it is a cheap sparkling wine with all the connotations which go along with that. But despite these perceptions, Cava is in fact a premium sparkling wine.

Like Champagne, Cava is made using the traditional method, which involves a second fermentation in the bottle. Having had the bubbles imparted by the second fermentation, it is then also aged, which allows the development of additional flavours from contact with the yeast cells. Cava is made with similar strict conditions to champagne in terms of yields, quality control and production standards, and yet does not have the same status.

But let me share with you that there is a whole other world to Cava! A world of quality wines, in a wide variety of styles, some of which rivals the best champagnes. The key to finding quality Cava is understanding the four quality levels used by the Consejo Regulador del Cava (Cava Regulatory Council).

CHOOSE YOUR CAVA

Most of the Cava we see in supermarkets is entry level Cava categorised as Cava de Guarda. The three main grape varieties in most Cavas are the native Spanish varieties Macabeo, Xarello and Parellada, all of which you probably won’t recognise. Most wines in the UK will be a blend of these three grapes. Cava de Guarda is aged for a minimum of nine months, so develops some additional flavour in the bottle. A great example of a Cava de Guarda wine, which is a step above the entry level supermarket offerings is the Cune Cava Brut from Majestic for £13. However, in preparation for this article, I recently blind tasted the offerings from Sainsburys, Tesco, ALDI, Morrisons and ASDA, and I felt the Sainsburys Brut Cava at £5.79 was the best in this price category with more complex flavours from the ageing process.

Cava de Guarda Superior Reserva or Cava de Guarda Superior Gran Reserva wines are aged for a minimum of 18 or 30 months respectively. Grapes come from higher quality vineyards where the focus is more on quality than quantity. In both categories only 10,000kg per hectare of grapes are allowed, 2,000kg less than in Cava de Guarda. And these grapes are more lightly pressed releasing juice which is purer and more concentrated. Many Gran Reserva wines are aged for much longer than 30 months, some for 10+ years. A good Reserva option is the Vilarnau Brut Reserva Organic Cava for £12.80 from Ocado. For a great Gran Reserva, I recommend the Roger Goulart Gran Reserva Josep Valls Cava 2019 for £17.99 at drinksdirect.com

The best quality Cavas receive the category Cava de Guarda Superior Paraje de Calificado. This is an exclusive badge reserved for only the very best vineyards. Here only 8,000kg per hectare of grapes are allowed from vines which are at least 10 years old, all of which must be harvested by hand. Wines must be bottled on site, be only a single vintage and be aged for at least 36 months. In 2024, only 17,000 bottles of Paraje de Calificado were made, of which only 4,000 were exported outside of Spain. To get one of these, you can buy the Juvé & Camps La Capella Cava de Paraje Calificado from Decantalo for a very reasonable £86.77.

Many of these Gran Reserva and Paraje de Calificado bottles are single variety Cavas made from one of the three native Spanish varieties mentioned earlier, or one of the other two permitted white varieties or four permitted red varieties. Rosé Cava can be made in all four quality categories and can be outstanding. Categories can be identified by either a smallish rectangular label on the back of the bottle or a circular label on the top of the cork which will be green, silver, gold or have a letter ‘P’ in it for Guarda, Reserva, Gran Reserva and Paraje wines respectively. The category may also be indicated on the front label.

ORGANIC LEADERS

One of the most remarkable things about Cava, is that the producers are leading the world in organic production of wines. From 2025, all Superior level wines will need to be 100 per cent organic.
While Brut is the most widely sold style of sparkling wine, the warmer weather in Spain means that the grapes ripen to a level where it is possible to make a wine with no added sugar (Brut Nature) without it tasting overly acidic. These drier wines are the purest expressions of the grapes, where you are much more likely to be able to pick up subtle floral notes and minerality. There are also sweet Cava wines, which make great accompaniments to sweet dessert dishes and things like blue cheese.

So why not treat yourself to a Superior level Cava in celebration of International Cava Day? And if you want to learn more about Cava, head over to the alottowineabout.com website where there is a six-part series on Cava.

Something sparkling:

One of the Cavas above!

Something English:

Denbies Surrey Gold – £11, Waitrose.
Floral aromas and green fruit on the nose, with a slightly sweeter taste on the palate with flavours of melon, pear, grapefruit, elderflower and blossom. Uncomplicated, easy drinking and deceptively moreish! Given the sugar level, it might even pair well with some less-sweet desserts.

Something fresh and fruity:

Journey’s End Haystack Chardonnay – £13.50, Ocado.
Strong citrus on the nose, with a softer feel on the palate and some pear, green apple, riper tropical fruits (pineapple) and balanced creamy savoury notes and steely minerality. Not an oaky Chardonnay, but does have a decent finish.

Something classic:

Definition by Majestic Margaux 2020 – £29, Majestic.
A beautifully made Claret. Notes of red berries, violets, smoke and some spice. Medium body, with a satisfying finish with soft well integrated and smooth tannins. This would pair very nicely with chicken dishes.

Something big and bold:

Mouchăo Dom Raffael Tinto 2021 – £14.95, Wine Society.
A beautiful wine at a very accessible price point. Red and dark fruit combined on the palate with rich savoury notes and some spice on the prolonged finish. Smooth and subtle with some nice integrated tannins.

Something different:

Journey’s End The Huntsman – £13.50, Ocado.
A nice blend from South Africa. Medium bodied, with rich aromas of both red and black fruits, cassis and blackberries, as well as some slightly herbaceous notes of green bell pepper and some dried herbs. Complex, rich, smooth subtle tannins, a hint of liquorice and a decent length finish.