2010 ranking: Germany: 41 millions, UK: 32 millions, Belgium: 21 millions, USA: 17.5 millions, the Netherlands: 2.3 millions.
Belgium is even world number 1 in terms of consumption per capita!
Cava became an appellation in 1972, but its first official recognition date back to 1959. Before that, Spaniards just called it ‘champán’.
Le production process is identical to that of champagne. Some even say that good old Dom Pérignon, the so called inventor of champagne, had the idea of using cork and muselet during a visit to Catalonia.
The first cava was produced by Josep Raventos, of the house of Codorníu, in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia. This was the beginning of a rapid expansion around this town, which still is the little capital of cava. The production is mainly located within the production zone of the todays’ D.O. Penedès; but meanwhile, other Spanish regions have been making cava – and officially belong to the D.O. Cava.
All in all, cava is produced in 159 communes spread out as follows.
Barcelona: 63, Tarragona: 52, Lleida: 12, Girona: 5, La Rioja: 18, Alava: 3, Zaragoza: 2, Navarra: 2, Valencia: 1, Badajoz (Extremadura): 1.
Production Process:
Cava production uses the standards of the ‘méthode traditionnelle’, like in Champagne.
The only (but important) differences are the terroirs and above all the grapes.
Whereas champagne mainly uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the Holy Trinity of cava, is composed of Macabeu, Xarello and Parellada. Although, these last few years, more and more Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used (the later being used mainly for the cava rosés, for which until now only Grenache and Trepat were employed).
Winemaking is similar to that of other white wines. Once the “vins clairs” are obtained and the blend is made, yeasts and sugar are added. This generates a second fermentation, within the bottle itself. This moment called triage, is when the bubbles appear and when the cava is born.
This process takes a minimum of 9 months. For the best cavas, it is longer – more time allows the autolysis to integrate the yeast better into the wine. After 15 months, the product can be labelled as a Cava Reserva; after 30 months, as a Gran Reserva (the bottle then carries a black back label with this mention).
Not like for the red wines, where these mentions rarely correspond to a real improvement in quality, in the case of cava, they mean a lot.
The longer the cava stays on the racks (“en rima”), the better the autolysis, which determines for a good part the complexity and elegance of the cava.
During this process, the bottle, which is stored upside down, is turned everyday (a quarter of a turn each day) so that all the residual yeasts can go down into the neck. When this is done, the neck is plunged into a freezing bath, which allows the winemakers to extract the yeast deposit very easily. This is called the dégorgement. Then the bottle is closed again with a cork and muselet.
It can now be labelled and shipped.
During the dégorgement, most producers add a “liqueur d’expédition”, a mix of sugar, liquor and alcohol (a house secret). This liqueur determines the final taste category.
Brut nature: no liqueur added. The sugar content is between 0 and 3 grams per litre (the residual sugar of fermentation).
Extra Brut: up to 6 grams of sugar.
Brut: up to 12 grams.
Extra Seco: between 12 and 17 grams.
Seco: between 17 and 32 grams.
Semi-Seco: between 32 and 50 grams.
Dulce: more than 50 grams.
The most widely sold quality is the Brut, even though the sales of Brut Nature have increased these last few years.