How Cava is Made

Patience, patience, and patience are the three most important ingredients to a high quality cava. There’s no magic in it, just tradition.
The production and process of cava begins long before the grapes are harvested. The cava producers are in close contact with the vineyards.

• When its time to harvest, the grapes are picked and directly shipped to the wineries. They must hurry so the grapes don’t oxidize, thus ruining the chance at having an ebullient sparkling wine.

• Cava is taken from the first press of the grapes. After the first press, the must (the result of the first pressing of grapes) is placed in stainless steel tanks. Here the first fermentation takes place. Grape varieties are not mixed. Each variety is fermented separately to create the base wines.

• The next step is called cupada – which takes place during the winter months of December and January. The cupada is the blending of the base wines. Experts decide upon the proportion of the wines and which wines they will mix to achieve the “ideal” cava.

• After the cupada, the final products are bottled and sealed with a specified measure of yeast and sugar to initiate a second fermentation. This is called the triage. Bottles are stored on their sides for a minimum of 9 months (more often than not, much longer).

• After the 9 months (or more) the bottles are “racked.” They are placed neck down on a kind of centrifuge called a girasol (sunflower in Spanish). The girasol turns the wine simultaneously. The bottles are turned daily to collect the sediment from the wine in the bottle crown caps.

• After the sediment is collected, the bottlenecks are frozen, opened, and the sediment is removed. A little bit of sugar and wine is added to the content, the bottles are corked and left to age for more time.

• After the final aging, the bottles are labeled (don’t forget to look for the DO) and sold.

It’s a slow and somewhat grueling process, but the end result is worth it. So next time you’re celebrating a wedding, anniversary, New Year’s party or any other kind of festive affair, take a look at the bottles on the table. You may very well be drinking Spanish Cava – and enjoying it down to the last bubbly drop!

Bottoms up!

SPANISH SPARKLING WINE