Cava winemaking

Question 1

Cava grape reception/transporting + pressing + yields

Answer 1

• Transport:
  • Grapes in 25 kg crates, premium fruit in smaller 10 kg crates
  • Avoid splitting to prevent microbial spoilage
• Quality Focus:
  • Producers press whole bunches for low phenolic content
  • Big companies press locally to avoid oxidation
  • Juice refrigerated & transported to Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
• Pressing:
  • Pneumatic presses for soft pressing, maintaining wine quality
  • Yield restricted to 79 hL/ha; 100L pressed from 150 kg grapes

Question 2

Cava: Pre-fermentation extraction: skin contact

Answer 2

Rosado must be made from a minimum of 25% black grapes and by contact with the skins, rather than by blending red and white base wines.

Question 3

Cava primary fermentation: vessel temps, yeasts

Answer 3

• Yeasts:
  • Large producers: Use cultured yeasts
    • Option 1: Self-propagated strains (Freixenet, Cevipe co-op)
    • Option 2: Purchased strains (Codorníu, tailored to vintage conditions)
• Fermentation:
  • Stainless steel fermentation at controlled temperatures (14–16°C / 57–61°F)
  • Preserves fruity aromas

Question 4

Cava malo

Answer 4

typically prevented to preserve acidity

Question 5

Cava Blending: Reasons for blending, reserve wines

Answer 5

typically from fruit of one season whether they are marketed as vintage or non-vintage

reserve wines not common:
vintage variation limited

storing reserve wines would add cost

Question 6

Cava Secondary fermentation: Fermentation temperature, yeast, stopping fermentation, type of vessel, time on lees, disgorgement

Answer 6

• Disgorgement:
  • Historically done by hand
  • Now, large volumes = early use of gyropalette on industrial scale
  • Recent improvements:
    • Yeast strain selection & smooth glass bottles speed up flocculation
    • Automated rotating drum replacing gyropalette
    • Entire process takes as little as 80 minutes
• Planning:
  • Large companies align disgorgement & finishing dates to peak demand

Question 7

Cava Dosage

Answer 7

Most: Brut with 8–9 g/L dosage level

Medium-Dry (Semi-Seco) popular in certain markets (Spain, Germany)

Quality producers: new focus on Brut Nature style.