Cava x 2

Spain’s most famous traditional method sparkling wine, Cava, has had a pretty rough ride in the UK market over the past couple of decades. Prosecco has plundered the sparkling wine sector at similar price brackets, and there’s the increased availability of English sparkling wine to contend with too.

Cava can be made in various Denominación de Origen (DO) regions of Spain, including Rioja and Navarra for example. But the absolute powerhouse is the region of Penedès, inland from Barcelona and responsible for around 95% of production. By law it must be made by the traditional method with second fermentation in individual bottles. Three grapes have dominated: Macabeu, Xarel·lo and Parellada, though today more and more Cava uses the Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir too. Ageing rules state that Cava must stay on the lees in bottle for at least nine months, or 15 months for Cava Reserva and a full 30 months for Cava Gran Reserva.

Champagne and many other traditional method sparkling wines have been tending towards lower dosage in recent years: adjusting the residual sugar in the wines down from Brut level (up to 12 g/l) to Extra Brut (up to 6g/l) or Brut Nature (up to 3g/l). I recently tasted a couple of rosé Cavas that are a bit different: one is sweet with 45g/l of residual sugar and designed to be poured over ice, the other is a Brut Reserva made from 100% Pinot Noir. It has to be said these two wines are in no way representative of Cava today, but do show a bit of latteral thinking from these producers.

The Wines

Freixenet, Rosé Cava Ice

Penedès, Spain, Sparkling Rosé, Cork, 11.5% abv
86
(2023) A few Champagne houses, notably Moët & Chandon, have launched special 'Ice' versions of their standard wine, specifically made to be enjoyed poured over ice. Following a very similar path, this from Cava giant Freixenet, is blended to be sweet and rich. Garnacha and Pinot Noir are blended and aged for a year on the lees, the wine bottled with 45g/l of residual sugar making it 'Semi-Seco', the equivalent of Demi-Sec in Champagne. Raspberry and icing sugar aromas leap from the glass, a little touch of buttery pastry from the time on the lees too. In the mouth there's definite sweetness and buoyant fruit flavour, but the acidity is really very good meaning this has balance. I think perhaps the pressure is slightly lower too, so that there is no real feeling of dilution. Good fun this - not a serious wine, but we all need a bit of frivolity in our lives now and again. Watch the video for more information.

Canals & Munne, Rosé Cava 'Lola' 2019

Penedès, Spain, Sparkling Rosé, Cork, 12.0% abv
89
(2023) A pink vintage Cava made from Pinot Noir, this spent 20 months on the lees. A delicate salmon pink, the nose is pretty with a touch of elderflower to raspberry and something a little riper, like guava or mango. In the mouth more of that full-fruited character, this is all about fruitiness and pretty floral characters, though the acidity is very well judged and the cushion of mousse gives a quiet sense of opulence. Quite unusual and very enjoyable.

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