The great producer search for quality Cava

Producers in the Penedès wine region began deserting the Cava appellation, beginning in 2012, because of concerns that the brand had a poor image, with low prices baked-in in many markets. Further, these producers felt that the appellation was too large to be managed or regulated effectively.  First, some background on Cava.

Prior to Spain's entry into the EU, its sparkling wine was called Champán or Champaña. With the EU regulation that all sparkling wines called Champagne has to originate from the Champagne region of France, the Spanish sparkling was renamed Cava, a reference to the place -- caves-- where the early wines were stored for aging.  Cava was granted DO designation in 1986 on Spain's entry into the EU.

Cava is produced in 159 municipalities spread across Catalonia, Aragon, Navarra, Rioja, and Valencia but fully 95% of that production originates in Catalonia's Penedès, a wine region located about 40 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.

Penedès is surrounded by the Monserrat range which provides a protective barrier from the heat and humidity of the Mediterranean as well as the cold winds -- levanter -- from the north and east. The climate is Mediterranean with annual temperatures averaging 15.5℃ (60℉) across the region but with slightly differing micro-climates within its three sub-zones. In Baix Penedès, the area closest to the coastline, elevation ranges between 0 and 250 meters and the temperature is milder, thanks to its proximity to the sea. In Penedès Superior -- 500 - 800 meters elevation -- there is greater rainfall than in the companion zones and a greater differential between maximum and minimum temperatures. Penedès Central (250 - 500 meters) experiences a mix of the Superior and Baix microclimates.

The soil in the Penedès region is a mix of limestone, sand, and clay with a chalky top layer atop a layer of clay which in turn overlays a rocky base.

While the Méthode Champenoise is utilized in the production of Cava, the traditional Champagne grapes, if used at all, are bit players in this drama.  The prime varieties used in Cava are Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parelleda but small amounts of Chardonnay, Malvasia, Pinot Noir, Trepat, Red Grenache, or Monastrell can be used in the blend. Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada are grown in both Baix and Central Penedès but the highest-quality Parellada grapes are grown in Penedès Superior.

In order to be called Cava, the sparkling wine made in the region has to be aged a minimum of 9 months before being taken to market.  Many producers age their wines for 2 to 4 years in order to provide wines with more character.  To be classified as Gran Reserva, a Cava has to be aged for at least 30 months.

The first producer to leave was Raventós i Blanc in 2012.

Conca Del Riu Anoia
Raventós i Blanc was especially concerned about the lack of Cava quality, which to its mind, resulted from unfocused geographic and production specifications. It lobbied for the creation of a DO called Conca Del Riu Anoia in a small geographic area surrounding the Anoia River Valley between the Anoia and Foix Rivers in eastern Penedès.

In addition to narrowing down the geographic requirements for this proposed DO, Raventós i Blanc sought to tighten up the Cava production rules:

• Only indigenous varieties would be used in the production of this sparkling wine
• Vineyards must be organically farmed (biodynamic would be even better) and be at least 10 years old
• At least 50% of the wine must be made from estate-grown grapes
• For grapes bought off the estate, the producer must pay a minimum of 1€/kg versus the average of 0.40€ that was the norm
• All grapes should be sourced from the River Anoia area
• Yield from the vineyards had a ceiling of 10,000 kg/ha
• Hand-picked grapes
• Wines must be 100% estate produced and bottled
• Wines must be vintage and aged on their lees for a minimum of 18 months.

Raventós i Blanc did not get much traction on its proposal but is making its sparkling wines according to these specifications and is placing this unofficial designation on its labels.

Classic Penedès
For those unwilling -- or unable -- to fit into the Conca Del Riu Anoia framework, were still dissatisfied with the Cava DO, but wanted the comfort of a large DO, the Penedès DO created a support vehicle called Classic Penedès.

The new classification scheme addressed members' concerns about geographic scope by limiting the grapes to the Penedès region and addressed wine quality by insisting upon 100% organic farming practices and residence on the lees for at least 15 months. Interested producers were given until 2017 (a 5-year transition period) to become fully compliant with the organic farmimg requirement.

The producers who left at this time includeAlbert i Noya, Mas Comptal, Loxarel, Colet, and Mas Bertram.

Cava de Paraje Calificado
It was not like Cava DO officials were unaware that they had a problem; but they had a broad group of members and it took time to get them on board with a politically viable solution to what was a real problem. A problem which was a limiting factor in terms of product growth  on the international market and which was also tearing the organization apart internally.

After much discourse with the members, Cava introduced Cava de Paraje Calificado in 2016 but did not certify it until 2017. This mechanism allows for the production of single-vineyard Cavas based on the following requirements:

• The vineyards needed to be at least 10 years old and must be wholly owned by the estate
• The vineyard must have been separately vinified for a minimum of three harvests
• Maximum yield of 48 hl/ha
• Grapes must be hand-harvested
• Fermentation on the estate
• At least 85% of the wine must be from estate-grown fruit
• Unlike Cava, cannot be acidified
• Normal acid level of 5.5 g/l.

One author has characterized this schema as having the Burgundy classification without the Village and Premier Cru levels. In this mechanism, the top vineyards have been raised to the top classification level (with everyone else at the "Regional" level), but with no discernible path between the two.

Corpinnat
A number of Cava producers had been having discussions among themselves as to how to solve the perceived problem (they were not sure that the DO solution would address the problem adequately). After the Cava DO provided its solution it tried to play hardball with this subset of producers saying that they would not be allowed to use Cava and their proposed marketing name on the same label (This was an attempt to force them into ceasing their cooperation discussions and come on board with the DO solution). One day before the expiration of the deadline that Cava DO set, this group broke away and formed an organization called Corpinnat.

Corpinnat was a geographically limited construct -- 22,000 ha, all within the interior pocket of Penedès. This location is characterized by significant diurnal temperature variation (great  for acidity retention) and protection from Mediterranean humidity by a large chain of mountains. Allowed grape varieties are Xarel-lo, Macabeu, Parellada, and Malvasia for whites and Grenache, Monastrel, Sumoll, and Xarel-lo Vermel for reds.

Production requirements are as follows:

• Organic farming
• Hand-harvesting
• A minimum of 75% of the grapes have to be grown in the producer's vineyard
• Outside grapes have to be purchased at a set minimum price (0.70€/kg)
• Native varieties must be a minimum of 90% of the blend
• All wine should be produced at the winery
• Wines must age a minimum of 18 months on the lees.

The first-movers in this organization are Gramona, Recaredo, Torelló, Llopart, Nadal, Sabaté i Coca, Mas Camdí, Huget-Can Feixes, and Júlia Vernet. While these producers represent only 1% of the total Cava DO output, their quality standing is reflecetd by the fact that they represent 30% of the Gran Reserva Cava production.

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The problem confronting Cava DO is that it does not currently have a true mechanism for identifying quality. Cava is a mechanism for producing sparkling wine rather than a geographic or terroir-based schema. And it seems that the name Cava is irretrievably broken. The producers intuitively have the right ideas as to how to solve the problem but the DO is afraid of sinking into irrelevance.

It is extremely important that the DO work with these innovative producers so that, as a group, they can work towards a number of sub-appellations which can produce terroir-based, high-quality wines under a Cava umbrella (or some other less-offensive nomenclature). If they choose, instead, to fight along the way, the ensuing complexity of offerings will turn the consumer off and end in great damage to the Spanish sparkling wine industry.

©Wine -- Mise en abyme