Five wines gain top Cava designation

By Hamish Graham

Published: 03 March, 2026

DO Cava has announced that five new wines have received the ‘Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado’ designation, the premier Cava categorisation the body gives out.

The move was ratified by The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), bringing the number of top-level Cavas to 15.

Three of the latest additions are produced by El Rebato’s Sumarroca: Núria Claverol Allier Finca Cols, Núria Claverol Homenatge Finca Peretes, and Núria Claverol Blanc de Noirs Finca Rosendo. Joining these trio is L’Era del Celdoni by Carles Andreu, from Pira, Conca de Barberà, as well as MIM Natura Blanc de Noirs by Vins El Cep.

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The latter’s grapes are drawn from a Pinot Noir vineyard in the Can Prats estate, Espiells. Rigorous standards were met for the five wines to join the top designation, with the products being revalidated by a leading panel of somms and MWs. This judging team included Pedro Ballesteros MW, David Forer MW and Ramon Francàs.

President of DO Cava, Javier Pagés, detailed that other wineries have commenced the process of gaining Paraje Calificado Cava status.

Additionally, today (3 March) it was unveiled that four family-run wineries are set to become DO Cava ‘Integral Producers’. The designation, according to the regional body, is awarded to “wineries of the Cava DO that carry out the entire winemaking process from start to finish on their own property”. Amongst the wineries gaining the title were Celler Eudald Massana of Sant Pau d'Ordal, Subriats and Torrens Moliner from Finca Heretat, La Fortesa.

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