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WSET 4: D4 - Sparkling Wines > 7 Cava > Flashcards

7 Cava Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the Cava region located?

A
  • Cataluna in north-east Spain (Penedes region, Lleida- and Tarragona province)
  • Rioja
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2
Q

Since when is the word Cava used?

A
  • 1960s
  • a generic term for traditional method sparkling was needed for the eventual membership in the EU
  • 1972 Cava become part of the Spanish law
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3
Q

Since when is Cava an EU PDO (protected designation of origin)?

A

1989

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4
Q

Which are the allowed grape varieties used for Cava?

A
  • Macabeo (white)
  • Xarel-Io (white)
  • Parellada (white)
  • Chardonnay (white)
  • Garnache Tinta (black)
  • Trepat (black)
  • Point Noir (black)
  • Monastrell (black)
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5
Q

Which is the main region of Cava production and how much is produced there?

A
  • Penedes region in Cataluna
  • 95% of the production
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6
Q

How are the climate conditions in Penedes?

A
  • mainly Mediterranean climate
  • bright sunny summers
  • mild winters
  • moderate rainfall (540mm) spread trough the year
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7
Q

How are the vineyards located in Penedes?

A

form the coast to higher altitudes (200-300m) in the inland. Some are 700-800m above sea level

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8
Q

How are the soils in Penedes?

A
  • alluvial soils and clay at lower altitude
  • stony clay and granite sub-soils at higher altitude

all soils are relatively poor in nutrients and have adequate drainage and water retention

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9
Q

How is the style of a Macabeo-based wine from higher altitude?

A

the wine has more flavour and higher acidity and the ability to age well in the bottle

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10
Q

Which are the main towns in Penedes?

A
  • San Saturn d’Anoia (location of the main Cava producers)
  • Villafranca del Penedes (headquarter of Consejo)
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11
Q

How are the climate conditions in Lleida (Lérida in Spanish)?

A
  • Mediterranean climate at lower levels
  • increasing continental influence at higher altitudes
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12
Q

How are the vineyards located in Lleida?

A

slopes and high plain (100-700m) risen up into the mountains

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13
Q

What made the land into a productive vineyard land?

A

irrigation systems with water from the Pyrenees

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14
Q

How is the style of Lleida grapes?

A
  • riper fruit flavours from grapes grown at lower altitude
  • fresher flavours and higher acidity from grapes grown at higher altitude
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15
Q

How are the climate conditions in Tarragona?

A

Mediterranean climate

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16
Q

How are the vineyards located in Tarragona?

A
  • mainly on low level
  • undulating hills
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17
Q

How is the style of Terragona grapes?

A
  • Macabeo dominated
  • simple
  • early drinking style
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18
Q

Which grape variety is located in Terragona?

A

Trepat (used for Cava Rosado)

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19
Q

How are the vineyards located in Rioja?

A

high altitude (e.g. Rioja Alta at 425m)

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20
Q

How are the vineyards protected in Rioja?

A

the Cantabrain Mountains protect the vineyards from excessive rainfall coming form the Atlantic

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21
Q

Which are the only grape varieties used for Cava in Rioja?

A
  • Macabeo (locally known as Viura)
  • Chardonnay
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22
Q

How are the grape varieties spread by percentage?

A
  • Macabeo (36%)
  • Xarel-Io (25%)
  • Parallada (20%)
  • Chardonnay (9%)
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23
Q

How are the aromas of Macabeo?

A

light intensity apple and lemon

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24
Q

Which other grape variety is often used together with Macabeo for blends?

A

Chardonnay

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25
Q

How are the aromas of Xarel-Io?

A
  • green and gooseberry notes
  • herbal (fennel) notes (set it apart from the other varieties)
  • earthy when over-ripe
26
Q

How are the aromas of Parallada?

A

floral notes and finesse

27
Q

Which character is added from Chardonnay?

A

body, richness and finesse

28
Q

Why is the choice of clones and rootstock so important?

A
  • it balance the ripeness
  • slows down the accumulation of sugar
29
Q

How are the black varieties used in Cava?

A

Garnacha Tinta:
- less used due to its tendency to oxidise
- adds ripe red fruit and spicy notes

Trepat:
- only be used for Rosado
- adds strawberry flavours and high acidity

Pinot Noir:
- used for Rosado blends or single variety
- often used for Blanc de Noirs wines

Monastrell:
- allowed for the production but is little used

30
Q

Name the maximum yield allowed for Cava

A

12.000kg

31
Q

How is the planting density in the vineyard?

A

low to moderate density (1.500-3.500 vines/hectare)

32
Q

how is the vine training for Cava?

A
  • bush vines
  • single or double cordon
33
Q

Which diseases are common?

A
  • botrytis and downy mildew due to misty and humid mornings
  • powdery mildew in dry periods
34
Q

How are the grapes be tested for deciding the picking time?

A
  • sugar, acidity and pH levels
  • recent development to test gluconic acid (indicator of botrytis infection)
35
Q

How is the spread between hand and machine harvesting in per cent?

A

90% hand harvest
10% machine harvest

36
Q

Which kind of press is typically used for the Cava production?

A

pneumatic press to maintain wine quality by avoiding the extraction of phenolics

37
Q

What is the minimum percentage of black grapes for Rosado?

A
  • minimum 25% black grapes
  • skin fermentation
38
Q

What is the maximum yield for Cava?

A
  • 80hl/ha
  • limit of 100l must from 150kg grapes
39
Q

Which kind of yeast is used for Cava production?

A
  • cultured yeast (sometimes form self propagated strains)
40
Q

Why is MLC typically prevented during Cava winemaking?

A

to preserve acidity

41
Q

Why is no reserve wine added in Cava production?

A
  • vintage variation is limited
  • storing reserve wines would add costs
42
Q

How was the disgorgement process speed up?

A
  • special yeast strains and smooth glass on the inside surface speed up flocculation
  • gyropalette was replaced by a rotating drum
43
Q

How fast is the entire disgorgement process now?

A

80 minutes

44
Q

How is the sweetness level of Cava typically?

A
  • most Cava is Brut
  • some are medium-dry (semi-seco)
  • Brut Nature is growing at quality producers
  • Cava Grand Reserva and Cava de Paraje Calificado may only be Brut, Extra Brut and Brut Nature
45
Q

Name the categories of Cava

A
  • Cava
  • Cava Reserva
  • Cava Grand Reserva
  • Cava de Paraje Calificado
46
Q

Describe the style of Cava

A
  • minimum 9 month on the lees (triage to disgorgement)
  • light to medium intensity
  • aromas of lemon, apple, herbal and light biscuit autolytic notes
  • medium to medium (+) acidity
  • acceptable to good quality
  • inexpensive to mid-priced
47
Q

Describe the style of Cava Reserva

A
  • minimum of 15 month on the lees
  • more evident autolytic notes
  • good to very good quality
  • mid-priced
48
Q

Describe the style of Cava Grand Reserva

A

minimum of 30 month on the lees
- pronounced toasty, smoky autolytic notes
- very good to outstanding quality
- premium-priced

49
Q

Which are the 4 registers of the Cava production process legislation?

A
  • grower
  • producer
  • storekeepers of base wines
  • Cava producers
50
Q

How much Cava is produced from two biggest companies Freixenet and Codorníu?

A

75% of all finished Cava

51
Q

How big is the total shipment of Cava in bottles per year?

A

250 million bottles (2018)

52
Q

How much Cava was consumed in Spain and how much was exported?

A
  • 1/3 was consumed in Spain
  • 2/3 was exported
53
Q

Which are the high volume export markets?

A
  • Germany
  • Belgium
  • UK
  • USA
54
Q

How are the Cava styles split in sales?

A
  • basic Cava: 87%
  • Cava Reserva: 11%
  • Cava Grand Reserva and Cava de Paraje Calificado: 2%
  • Rosado: 8%
55
Q

Why was the new category Cava de Parade Calificado created?

A

to improve the image of the inexpensive and only good quality Cava

56
Q

Which are the production factors for Cava de Paraje Calificado?

A
  • single estate or vineyard Cava
  • made from grapes of one single estate, owned by the producer
  • vines has to be a minimum age of 10 years
  • maximum production yield of 8.000kg/ha
  • maximum of 48hl/ha after pressing
  • acidification is not permitted
  • minimum ageing time of 36 month at the estate
  • sweetness level of Brut or lower
57
Q

What is the producer group Corpinnat?

A

a group of new sparkling wine producers which have left the Cava DO in 2019

58
Q

Which are the production factors for Corpinnat?

A
  • traditional method
  • 100% organic grapes
  • grapes grown in Penedes
  • harvested by hand
    -vinified entirely on the premises of the winery
  • 90% of the grapes must be approved local varieties
  • three categories of lees aging (18, 30 and 60 month)
59
Q

Which other Spanish regions have created categories for sparkling wines?

A
  • Pendels DO -> Classic Penedes
  • Rioja DOCa (Denominación de Origin Calificada) -> Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja (Quality sparkling wine of Rioja)
60
Q

Which are the production factors for Classic Penedes?

A
  • 100% organic grapes
  • grapes grown in the Penedes DO
  • traditional method or method ancestral
  • minimum of 15 month on the lees

strapline: “making DO Penedes the first appellation in the world to offer a category of premium sparkling wines that are 100% organic”

61
Q

Which are the production factors for Espumoso de Calidad de Rioja?

A
  • harvesting by hand
  • traditional method
  • three lees aging tiers: Crianza (minimum 15 month), Reserva (minimum 24 month) and Gran Anada (minimum 36 month)

WSET 4: D4 - Sparkling Wines (21 decks)

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