Communication – whether it’s about the styles and versatility of cava or about the process of production and the time and care that is taken to produce a complex sparkling wine – is fundamental to cava’s future success, and this is a talking point throughout the whole industry.

“The battle will be to improve the consumer’s perception of the wine,” says Graves. “The perception is still of an entry-point product that has previously been heavily discounted and featured in a race to the bottom.”

Toni Ingram shares a similar view. “Communicating to consumers the quality of the cava winemaking process and that this is worth paying more for compared to prosecco is one of the biggest challenges for this style of wine,” she says. Pinella agrees: “The single biggest challenge is to be able to make the customer understand what cava is and making them worth the heritage, the origin, the quality, the versatility and the excitement that cava brings to our lives.”

With cava exports growing and a decent 2018 harvest settling nicely in tank there are many reasons for optimism among producers and those in the market selling and buying cava, but operating in such an aggressive category where prosecco remains at the top of its game means that its message must be crystal clear. Thankfully, for cava there’s a lot to shout about.

MEET THE NEW HEAD OF THE CAVA DO

On August 28, 2018, the Consejo Regulador del Cava announced its new president. Javier Pagés Font, CEO of Grupo Codorniú-Raventós and vice president of the Spanish Wine Federation, succeeded Pedro Bonet who had held the post for the previous four years.

“I begin this new era with pride, conviction and commitment. It is an exciting challenge to succeed the last president who established the bases to build up cava’s prestige,” says Pagés Font.

“I am committed to working with all those who represent the industry – vine-growers, producers, co-ops and institutions – to keep on strengthening the value of cava and to position it among the best sparkling wines in the world.”

Former president Bonet was rewarded for his work at the DO with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Wine Challenge, which recognised the communication strategy developed by the DO Cava during his four years at the helm.