CAVA 1 product.

The Cava denominación de origen covers sparkling wines made by the traditional method — secondary fermentation in bottle — across several Spanish regions, though 95% of production is concentrated in the Catalan Penedès. Minimum ageing on lees requirements are nine months for standard Cava, twenty-four for Cava Reserva and thirty for Gran Reserva. The Cava de Paraje Calificado category requires estate-grown fruit, vines of at least ten years of age, thirty-six months of ageing and a single vintage.

The traditional base varieties are Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada, contributing respectively aromatic freshness, structure and finesse. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Garnacha are permitted as complementary varieties. The Cava style differs from Champagne in its greater sense of ripe fruit and lesser development of brioche character, a consequence of the Mediterranean climate and the indigenous varieties. The sweetness scale follows the standard European nomenclature (brut nature, extra brut, brut, extra dry, dry, medium-dry, sweet).