No, Catalonia.
Cava is not restricted to a geographic boundary and can be made anywhere in Spain. However, most Cava is produced in Catalonia.
Cava, or cave in English, is Spain’s answer to French Champagne.
It is a sparkling wine made using the traditional French method. The bubbles come from a secondary fermentation that occurs in the bottle.
Sparkling wine is produced through primary fermentation and bottling, followed by a second fermentation with several grams of yeast and sugar in the bottle.
This second fermentation is what makes bubbles.
The grapes used in white Cava production are the white Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, which are indigenous to Spain. Contrast this with France’s Champagne, which is made with Chardonnay and two red grapes, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
White and rosé Cava are popular and produced in sweet to dry styles. Dry wine is made with no detectable sweetness.
Rosé Cava is made with red grape varieties Garnacha, Monastrell, and Trepat.
What greets you in the glass is a balanced sparkling wine, pale to somewhat darker gold with mouth-filling soft bubbles.
Cava has a harmonious texture, aroma, and acidity.
The range of aromas and flavors is all Cava, with hints of light lemon, citrus peels, fennel, dried flowers, grass, and fresh mineral water.
Note: when serving Cava, Champagne, or sparkling wine, it should be chilled to the ideal temperature range of 8 – 10°C (46.4°F – 50°F). This Laser Wine Thermometer reads the internal temperature of the wine in the bottle before you pop the cork!!
Cava Classification.
Cava: at least nine months of aging.
Cava Reserva: at least fifteen months of aging.
Cava Grand Reserva: is aged for at least thirty months.
Cava de Paraje Calificado: Cava from a qualified area; this style has at least thirty-six months of aging and is produced on a single estate.
And a new Cava is emerging! Read more about the Cava drama unfolding in Spain here —> Corpinnat.
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