Cava has been facing a bit of a crisis in recent years. Many producers (including some of the best known ones) have been dropping out of the appellation in recent years, with them arguing that Cava as an appellation with a bad reputation, mostly known for cheap, bottom shelf wines that go into your mimosa.
A growing number of producers have broken away from Cava. In 2016, there were 235 registered producers. Today, there are only 145 of them left. Some Cava producers left to form Corpinnat, a new industry group founded to push a brand (they’re not an official appellation yet) of higher quality sparkling wines. While others have adopted the Penedes DO (they introduced a sparkling wine category in 2014) or simply without an official appellation.
Faced with this crisis, the appellation authorities have implemented a set of reforms intended to create premium tiers in the appellation. Starting from 2022, the new classification system is now:
* Cava – The base appellation, minimum aging of 9 months. * Cava Reserva – Minimum aging of 18 months, vintage dated, and all the grapes must be organic * Cava Gran Reserva – Minimum aging of 30 months, vintage dated, and organic grapes * Cava de Paraje Calificado – Minimum aging of 36 months, vintage dated, organic grapes, and the grapes must come from specific vineyards
Additionally, there’s now new zones and subzones in the appellations, and estate producers who grow the grapes and make the base wine can now call themselves a 100% Integral producer.
This bottle of Pere Ventura is their gran reserva, 2021 vintage, clocking in at 11.5% ABV, and Brut (9 g/l) sweetness.
On the nose, there is intense apple and peaches, along with some yeasty, baked goods notes. Very pleasant, if a bit of an apple bomb, like you stuck your nose in an apple that has been cut and left out for a bit.
In the mouth, the bubbles feel nice and crisp, the alcohol is well integrated and the acidity is well balanced.
Medium length finish, and the flavors briefly linger.
Honestly, great stuff. Is this the best sparkling wine I have ever had? No, but this might be one of the best Cavas I’ve ever had. This is night and day compared to the cheap plonk people often associated with Cava. For the $26.95 CAD I paid, this is a great bottle. I’d even argue that this is probably one of the better sparkling wines I’ve had in this price point.
I don’t know if the premiumization push Cava is doing is going to work, but hey, it’s got my attention. I’m willing to try more premium Cavas now, especially since the price gap between the Gran Reserva and the basic Cavas aren’t that big.
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Cava has been facing a bit of a crisis in recent years. Many producers (including some of the best known ones) have been dropping out of the appellation in recent years, with them arguing that Cava as an appellation with a bad reputation, mostly known for cheap, bottom shelf wines that go into your mimosa.
A growing number of producers have broken away from Cava. In 2016, there were 235 registered producers. Today, there are only 145 of them left. Some Cava producers left to form Corpinnat, a new industry group founded to push a brand (they’re not an official appellation yet) of higher quality sparkling wines. While others have adopted the Penedes DO (they introduced a sparkling wine category in 2014) or simply without an official appellation.
Faced with this crisis, the appellation authorities have implemented a set of reforms intended to create premium tiers in the appellation. Starting from 2022, the new classification system is now:
* Cava – The base appellation, minimum aging of 9 months.
* Cava Reserva – Minimum aging of 18 months, vintage dated, and all the grapes must be organic
* Cava Gran Reserva – Minimum aging of 30 months, vintage dated, and organic grapes
* Cava de Paraje Calificado – Minimum aging of 36 months, vintage dated, organic grapes, and the grapes must come from specific vineyards
Additionally, there’s now new zones and subzones in the appellations, and estate producers who grow the grapes and make the base wine can now call themselves a 100% Integral producer.
In 2024, the distribution by volume is:
* Cava – 89.73%
* Cava Reserva – 8.44%
* Cava Gran Reserva – 1.82%
* Cava de Paraje Calificado – 0.01%
This bottle of Pere Ventura is their gran reserva, 2021 vintage, clocking in at 11.5% ABV, and Brut (9 g/l) sweetness.
On the nose, there is intense apple and peaches, along with some yeasty, baked goods notes. Very pleasant, if a bit of an apple bomb, like you stuck your nose in an apple that has been cut and left out for a bit.
In the mouth, the bubbles feel nice and crisp, the alcohol is well integrated and the acidity is well balanced.
Medium length finish, and the flavors briefly linger.
Honestly, great stuff. Is this the best sparkling wine I have ever had? No, but this might be one of the best Cavas I’ve ever had. This is night and day compared to the cheap plonk people often associated with Cava. For the $26.95 CAD I paid, this is a great bottle. I’d even argue that this is probably one of the better sparkling wines I’ve had in this price point.
I don’t know if the premiumization push Cava is doing is going to work, but hey, it’s got my attention. I’m willing to try more premium Cavas now, especially since the price gap between the Gran Reserva and the basic Cavas aren’t that big.