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<\/p>\nDuring a discussion at London\u2019s Taste Spain trade event on the fine wines from Spain, it was argued that the country\u2019s most famous fizz, Cava, should change its name \u2013 at least for for its top tier cuv\u00e9es. Patrick Schmitt MW reports.<\/p>\n
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The topic was fine wines from Spain, and the guests were some of the most knowledgeable on the subject, with technical director Carlos L\u00f3pez de la Calle from Bodega Artadi<\/a> \u2013 representing the producer\u2019s view; Camino Restaurants founder Richard Bigg \u2013 representing the Spanish food and wine scene in London \u2013 and Sarah Jane Evans, a Master of Wine, journalist, author, judge, and wine commentator with a deep and long-standing love of all things liquid and Spanish.<\/p>\n Having covered various issues, such as the secondary market for fine Spanish wine, age-worthy whites from Rioja, and the role of La Place de Bordeaux as a potential way to raise awareness for high-end brands from Iberia, the discussion turned to Spain\u2019s fine fizz, primarily Cava \u2013 the traditional method Spanish sparkling wine that mainly hails from the Pened\u00e8s region of Catalonia, but can also be made in Rioja and Requena, among a few other parts of the country.<\/p>\n And it was at this point that some of the strongest views were shared \u2013 as you can hear by listening to a recording of the discussion here<\/a> and below.<\/p>\n Cava and Corpinnat<\/p>\n For Bigg, collectible status for Cava could be garnered \u201cby some of the very best producers\u201d, naming in particular Recaredo and Gramona \u2013 although both have left the DO Cava regulatory board to help create Corpinnat, a stricter collective mark for high-end sparkling wines from Pened\u00e8s.<\/p>\n Not only do such Spanish sparkling wine brands have a strong reputation, but they are producing age-worthy fizz, often released with 10 years of cellaring, while bringing the market a point of difference from Champagne by using native Spanish grape Xarel-lo.<\/p>\n However, for Carlos L\u00f3pez de la Calle, if Spain is to build a fine wine reputation for fizz, it needs to find a new name, and one that\u2019s tied to a specific place.<\/p>\n \u201cI think in order to make Spanish sparkling wine great again, we cannot call it Cava \u2013 Cava has suffered so much damage in terms of producing volume that we need to forget about that name,\u201d he began.<\/p>\n A new name needed<\/p>\n As for Corpinnat \u2013 which was formed in 2015 by six initial sparkling wine producers, and comprises 11 toda<\/a>y \u2013 he added, \u201cI know and love all of them, and I\u2019m 100% behind their idea, but my only concern with Corpinnat is that no-one puts Corpinnat in Google and if they do, it won\u2019t appear as an area.\u201d<\/p>\n For Evans, who initially chose to remain silent on the topic, then added to the debate, saying, \u201cWhen I was finishing my book last year on the wines of Central and Southern Spain<\/a> \u2013 including \u2013 Catalonia, I really had to think about Cava, and my conclusion was that Cava should be used for everything aged for less than 18 months,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Continuing she commented, \u201cBut actually all these wonderful and lovely and individual diverse wines that are Cava over 18 months should be called something else, and we should recognise that these are from Catalonia \u2013 and that there are different ones that come from Rioja or Requena.\u201d<\/p>\n She concluded, referring to Corpinnat, \u201cI can see why people are leaving Cava, because they have tried everything to make Cava a valid name, but it needs another name.\u201d<\/p>\n Top places for Spanish sparkling<\/p>\n L\u00f3pez de la Calle agreed, commenting, \u201cAnd I think we need to be more specific in terms of the sparkling; we need to define the areas that are specific for sparkling production.\u201d<\/p>\n Among these, he said the most obvious would be Pened\u00e8s, while another could be Galicia, while for him, there is great potential for northern Spain\u2019s Chacol\u00ed (or Txakoli) \u2013 which he said benefits from naturally low alcohol levels and high acidity.<\/p>\n In each case, he said, \u201cThese are locations that are unique for their sparkling wines.\u201d<\/p>\n As for Cava, he concluded, \u201cIt is too generic\u201d.<\/p>\n Certainly the Cava DO has make considerable efforts to raise its reputation for quality, and, indeed, levels of environmental sustainability too \u2013 with all Guarda Superior Cavas released from 2025 certified as 100% organic.<\/p>\n Speaking to db last year about this particular development<\/a>, Javier Pag\u00e9s, president of DO Cava explained that the premium nature of the Spanish fizz, along with its accessibility, were key elements to its success.<\/p>\n \u201cThe future of Cava lies in continuing to focus on quality and the value of the Cava brand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Why Cava is \u2018undergoing an exciting renaissance\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Cava DO now 100% organic for Cava de Guarda Superior<\/a><\/p>\n Premium organic Cava rises in popularity in the US<\/a><\/p>\n Spain\u2019s most overlooked wines, according to the experts<\/a><\/p>\n Related news<\/p>\n \n \n
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