Cava aims to climb to the "top of quality wine pyramid" with premium classification

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 14 June, 2016

The CRDO del Cava (Cava Regulatory Board) has announced the launch of a new premium category for Spanish sparkling wines that is designed to create distance between low and high quality Cavas.

The CRDO del Cava (Cava Regulatory Board) has announced the launch of a new premium category for Spanish sparkling wines, designed to create distance between low and high quality Cavas.

Single Estate Cava - or Cava del Paraje - is a new classification which will only include wine made with grapes from exceptional estates and terroirs.

The announcement was made yesterday (June 13) in Barcelona, where it was revealed that the Single Estate Cava will be exclusive to the DO Cava category.

According to Pedro Bonet, Chairman of the Cava Regulatory Board, Single Estate Cava (Cava del Paraje) has been created "in order to place cavas at the top of the quality wine pyramid" and to "do justice" to Spain's often-maligned sparkling wine category.

He said: "Even though we are only 30 years old and still a young DO, Cava is the second largest Spanish DO by volume and the number one DO in terms of international export. The growth and improvement of Cava is essential for global sustainability in the region, essential for its progress and the future. Even though, there is still a long way to go."

The launch got off to a rocky start on Monday after many trade journalists were stranded due to unrelated problems at a handful of European airports - including Harpers in the UK.

During the launch, Bonet encouraged the cava industry to improve its consumer image, as well as its positioning, international distribution and marketing.

"We hope that this new classification will not only prove that Cava is capable of producing fine wines that can age and we hope that this new classification will motivate and inspire producers to strive to produce increasingly higher quality sparkling wines," he added.

Jaime Haddad, Assistant Secretary for Agriculture, Food and Environment in the Spanish government, said that Single Estate Cava represents "a step forward in the quality of one of the most significant elements of our culture", adding, "the new category will position cava in the place it deserves".

Meritxell Serret, Catalan Minister for Agriculture, Cattle, Fishing and Food, outlined her hopes that the new classification will bring "more prestige and singularity" to the region's sparkling wines.

The new requirements for the new category of Cavas are: