Of the big three fizz varieties, cava is generating the most fuss. The Spanish wine is not only enjoying a growth in volume sales, but making regular headlines following the introduction of new regulations this time last year.
According to DO Cava, sales increased by more than 17% in 2021 to 252 million bottles, which the board credited to its international performance. In fact, 71% of total sales were registered in international markets, with double-digit growth in the US (40%), Belgium (11.6%), Austria (65.5%), Brazil (37.7%), and Poland (27.4%). Within this growth, organic wine sales increased 65% and long-aged cava more than doubled. Although those final figures are a likely result of the new rules.
What’s new?
Under the new regulations, cava is now divided into two main categories: Cava de Guarda, the youngest bottlings of which must be aged for nine months, and Cava de Guarda Superior, which require a minimum of 18 months – all of course using the traditional method of secondary fermentation in-bottle. The latter category includes three quality tiers – reserva, gran reserva, and paraje calificado – which must be vintage dated, and all Guarda Superior wines must be certified 100% organic by 2025.
As well as production rules, the DO has regulated the way bottles of cava can be labelled, including all Guarda Superior having to declare the vintage on every bottle. DO Cava president Javier Pagés was re-elected in August last year and has been a driving force behind the introduction of these new laws.
“It was never going to be easy coming up with new regulations because people inside a DO will always have different philosophies and ideas, but overall I think it’s been a great success,” Pagés tells Drinks International.
“It’s becoming more and more important to declare the origin of a product – not just in the wine business but with food and other drinks. Consumers want to know where things come from and their stories. That’s why labelling is so important, because having the origin clearly shown will give people an immediate understanding of the wine before they get used to the new tier structure and the new language.”
Changing style
Cava has just undergone its second harvest under the new regulations and, according to Pagés, the yield was 25% less than on the previous year, which he says makes it clear that producers are having to harvest earlier.
In a report by Caitlin Miller for Seven Fifty Daily, Cordorníu technical director Bruno Colomer agrees with the changing harvest patterns.
“Over the past 20 years, the start date of the harvest session has been brought forward by approximately 20 days,” says Colomer. “This is the trend, and it is very likely to get earlier and earlier due to climate change.
“Traditionally, the harvests in the cava region have been very regular. Although, in recent years we have been facing frequent challenges: droughts, high temperatures, torrential rains, frost and hail at unusual times, and massive pest attacks.
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“Production is higher or lower or starts earlier or later, but in terms of winemaking, the wines are still the same or even better.”
For producers in the Guarda Superior section it may be trickier to control the fluctuations of climate change once they become fully organic, but the nuances of each cava vintage will be exaggerated by the longer ageing laws. In theory, we can therefore look forward to enjoying some more interesting and complex cavas in the years to come.
According to Pagés, these longer-aged wines will appeal to a wider audience. “The other thing which consumers recognise is time. In the eyes of consumers, time translates to quality and for me cava has previously lacked any storytelling – there are so many amazing producers and when you add in the fact we’ve always used the traditional method then consumers should value it higher.”
With sales continuing to blossom for cava, Pagés also believes that pricing structures are crucial to the future profile of the category.
“In the past, some cava producers have been able to get wines into the offtrade at great prices. But now we’ve got a system in place to show off the better-quality brands. I’m not naive – it’s going to take more than just a couple of years for this to translate to consumers, but I hope brands will appreciate the direction we want cava to go in.
“Previously we’ve had some producers entering the market at the lowest possible price to get good business, but that in turn lowered the overall image of cava. I hope the new Guarda Superior will give brands an opportunity to increase their prices and improve the cava image. But at the same time I’m sure we’ll still see some wineries taking advantage of other quality brands and entering the market with their lowest possible price Guarda Superior.”
Something which may play into the hands of these low-price producers is the cost of living crisis, particularly during the festive period. In fact, prior to the New Year, UK wine retailer Majestic predicted a bottle of cava will be bought every minute during the holidays. But, given that Pagés expects the majority of brands to adopted the new regulations in 2023, the DO and members of the Guarda Superior family will be hoping it was the last Christmas when cava was sold on the cheap.
