In November last year DO Cava organised and hosted its inaugural industry summit – Cava Meeting – an annual trade gathering designed to address the challenges facing the category and the opportunities ahead. Having attended the three-day event in Barcelona, the consensus is that cava has never been more serious about its image and future direction. However, while the event showcased new initiatives and change for the sector, not all parties were aligned.

It’s no secret that cava got its inspiration from champagne when Josep Raventos travelled through Europe in the mid-19^th century, but it still goes under the radar how similar the production process is. Under modern regulation cava must use the ‘traditional method’ of secondary fermentation in the bottle, like champagne, as well as use regulated grape varieties, come from specific regions and undergo minimum ageing times. The term ‘cava’ was officially protected in the 1970s and the DO itself was established in 1991, making it young in comparison to other sparkling wines around Europe.

Gastronomy

Since then cava has been trying to build an identity and over the past 20 years producers at large have focused on the category being a gastronomic fizz, able to pair with a wide range of different foods.

During a visit to Bodegues Sumarroca in Penedès, exports director Marc Picon Malivern told Drinks International: “For me, cava is the perfect gastronomy product because it goes with so much and showcases the versatility of the wine.”

Mascaró, a producer based in Vilafranca del Penedès, provided a tasting of its cavas alongside Spanish omelette, quiche, sardines and bruschetta before a selection of desserts to demonstrate these attributes at the dinner table. In fact, gastronomy is such a focus for DO Cava that a seminar was held at the summit on its relationship with food by Josep Roca, sommelier and maître d’ at three-Michelin-starred restaurant El Celler de Can Roca.

However Jaume Vial, commercial director of Mestres, isn’t sure this has been the right tactic. “Prosecco and champagne left gastronomy behind and focused on celebratory moments. For me, the focus should be on quality over quantity and celebratory moments because with gastronomy, cava is competing with the entire still wine industry.”

Vial also made the point that communication from the cava region has been inconsistent in recent times. He believes the region has tried to please everyone and it needs to be more focused in order to win over consumers.

Old age

Since cava is a relatively young appellation, the easiest way to shift volume has been to produce cheap wines. This has certainly grown the cava name, but many argue damaged its reputation.

One of the suggestions put forward at the Cava Meeting was to phase out the lower-quality, cheap cava to raise the top end and therefore increase demand. However, this was met by concerns because it would be a risk given the volume of consumers currently choosing cava for its low price point.

Sarah Jane Evans MW hosted a panel discussion at the summit on the communication of the category, and she said: “In the UK we get access to seriously cheap cava in the supermarket, and that’s always been a problem for the image of cava. I think it takes away from any sense of occasion or celebration because it means less being so cheap.”

One of the more recent additions to the structure of cava was the introduction of the Cava de Paraje Calificado in 2015. To be labelled Cava de Guarda, the entry level, a wine must be aged in bottle for nine months, while anything older qualifies as Cava de Guarda Superior. Within this bracket is Reserva (18 months), Gran Reserva (30 months) and Cava de Paraje Calificado (36 months).

Joining Evans’ panel was drinks writer Jamie Goode, who added: “I know that some people were worried that adding different categories would confuse consumers, but I think it’s wise. It allows the category to premiumise and raise the ceiling of cava in terms of value. Post pandemic I think there’s now space for any sparkling wine to sit in the top tier and it’s important for cava to start selling at high value in auctions because it will have a knock-on effect on the category.”

The most recent initiative has been the introduction of the Elaborador Integral label. This recognises brands which carry out every stage of production on-site, from growing grapes to bottling and, while this isn’t necessarily a guarantee of quality, if every stage is executed with care then it can be. At the time of writing there are 15 listed producers bearing this label and according to Meritxell Juvé – chief executive and fourth generation of Juvé & Camps, one of the 15 members – this is an important step for adding value.

Juve & Camps is responsible for 1% of the region’s total cava production, however it produces 74% of all the Gran Reserva in the cava denomination. During a separate panel discussion on increasing the value of cava, Meritxell Juvé, said: “I feel very comfortable with the new levels, as do other producers. I also like the Elaborador Integral label because it’s all contributing to increasing the value of cava to consumers. Cava is clearly at a turning point, but we need to be aligned. In my opinion we need to grow the number of Elaborador Integral producers and the volume of Grand Reservas.”

Sumarroca accounts for 14% of total Gran Reserva exports and its Letargia brut nature (no added sugar) is performing particularly well. Chief executive Joaquim Tosas says that its brut nature wines are bold enough in flavour profile to demand premium price points and therefore be sold by the glass in exports, which is an important step when integrating the on-trade.

Codorníu is probably the most recognised cava label on the market – after all, its family history laid the foundations for the modern cava category. Today it remains one of the biggest producers by volume and under the leadership of head winemaker Bruno Colomer, the brand is at the forefront of quality aged cava also. Colomer tells Drinks International that the key to creating successfully aged cava is acidity, which he achieves by always using three grape varieties in the blend.

“Something which people don’t often realise about quality cava,” says Colomer, “is that it can be kept for many years in the cellar at home. You could have a three-year-old cava and keep it at home for double that time and it will improve.”

Future plans

In his closing speech at the Cava Meeting, Javier Pagés, president of DO Cava, said: “It is clear that cava, which is open to so many amazing possibilities, is having quite a moment. We must know how to communicate about cava, and be prouder and more ambitious.”

The DO, and its producers, mean business. There’s a thirst for a change in its perception and the growing number of sub-categories will engage more with consumers to realise the quality of certain styles. The category has other selling points too. Its rosé is selling well across the board and, according to the DO, it is committed to 100% organic production in the Guarda Superior segment from 2025 onwards.

However there remain some differing opinions when it comes to its stance on gastronomy, especially when 70% of cava is exported, where it’s more difficult to communicate successfully.

Perhaps cava of a certain quality band can be collectively pushed towards celebratory moments, while others can be aligned with gastronomy.

Nevertheless, the quality of cava and leadership of the DO is there, plus the want for action from producers. They just need to decide on a plan, which the first Cava Meeting highlighted.