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SPAIN
– DESIGNATION –
Clusters of grapes used to make some of the sparkling wines at Costers del Sió
Most people situate Cava vineyards in Catalonia,
specifically in the Penedés region, with Sant
Sadurní d’Anoia at its epicentre. And indeed
around 90% of total production is focused
on Catalonia. Despite this, some wineries
outside the region have been making Cava – a name that can
only be used for Spanish sparkling wine – since the beginning
of the appellation. One such example is Rioja-based Bodegas
Bilbaínas, which was bought by the Raventós Codorníu
group, one of the leading names in Cava production.
In 2020, a series of changes were made to Cava D.O.
regulations, including a new classification that includes zones
(Comtats de Barcelona, Valle del Ebro, Zona de Levante and
Viñedos del Almendralejo) and sub-zones, as well as a new
category (Cava de Guarda and Cava de Guarda Superior). All
these modifications will be gradually introduced in the near
future. Cava is not only produced in Catalonia, there are
also Cava wineries in Aragón, Castilla y León, Extremadura,
Navarra, the Basque Country, the Valencia region and Rioja.
We have selected a raft of sparkling wine producers to find
out how the appellation changes will affect them and what
impact they will have.
WINTER 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE 75