Wine Glossary
Definition: Cava
[KAH-vah] Cava is the official name for sparkling wine produced in designated areas in various parts of northern Spain. The use of the word cava came about as a result of legal conflicts with France over the use of champán, Spain's word for champagne. The word cava (Catalan for "cellar") was chosen for Spain's sparkling wines because almost all such wines are made in the Catalan region. The Cava DO was established in 1986 and, unlike other Spanish dos, it has multiple geographic areas. In fact, eight specified regions have been authorized for sparkling wine production. Three of the provinces-Barcelona, Girona, and Tarragona (in the catalonia region around Barcelona)-make over 95 percent of the country's cava. The other regions are Álava, Aragón, Extremadura, Navarra, and Rioja. To qualify for Cava DO status, wines must be made by the méthode champenoise. The grapes used for most Cava DO wines are Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. However, Chardonnay is allowed in the cuvée (some producers use it extensively), and the companies using it as a major component include Codorníu, Raimat (owned by Codorníu), and Segura Viudas (owned by Freixenet). Additionally, some rosado (rosé) cava is produced using Garnacha (grenache), Monastrell (mourvèdre), and Pinot Moir. Cava DO rules require a minimum aging of 9 months. Top producers here are now producing crisp, fruity sparkling wines, which was not always the case. Still, they differ from the French models because they're more earthy and have less acidity.
Source: Answers.com; Wine Lover's Companion - R & S Herbst
