The History of Cava, Spanish Sparkling Wine
From: spanishfood.about.com
October 25, 2011
Champagne was the first sparkling wine and it is the most famous. Only wines made in the Champagne region of France may be called Champagne. Spain produces many fine sparkling wines, called cava after the cellars in which the wine is produced. These wines are made in the “méthode champenoise” or “Champagne method,” which is the same method that is used to make Champagne.
Josep Raventós Fatjó of the Codorníu estate is said to have been the first to produce wine made in this method in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, (Cataluña,) Spain in 1872. He was so happy with the wine he made, that he ordered a cool cellar or cava dug in order to produce more sparkling wine. In a few short years , the family introduced their first bottles of cava to the public. It was an instant success, particularly with high society. Soon, sparkling wine from the Codorníu estate was being sent to the Spanish royal family. Today, thousands of visitors tour the Codorníu winery and cellars in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in Cataluña.
Besides Codorníu, there are hundreds of sparkling wine producers in the area south of Barcelona called Penedés. The other sparkling wine producer which comes to mind immediately is Freixenet, pronounced “fresh-eh-net.” Its’ “cordon negro” product, a cava in a matte black bottle with gold writing.
How Cava is Produced
High quality sparkling wines, including cava and French champagne contain bubbles of carbon dioxide. How do the bubbles get there?
- First, the grapes are harvested and a white wine is produced. Several types of wine may be blended. Three grape varieties native to Spain are Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada.
- Tirajo is the second step - The bottle is filled with the blended wine, then a syrupy mixture of yeast and sugars is added, called licor de tirajo. The yeast will cause the secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle. At this stage, the bottled wine is then transferred to the cellar with a temporary stopper.
- The Second Fermentation is next – The yeasts convert the sugar to carbon dioxide. This second fermentation and bottle aging occurs in the bottle and lasts for nine months at a temperature between 55 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit.
During the second fermentation/aging, the bottles are turned occasionally. This process is called remuage and in some wineries, this is still done by hand. This turning of the bottles causes the residue from the yeast to collect in the neck of the wine bottle. The neck of the bottle is then frozen, which forces the sediment out and the bottle is re-corked immediately.
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