Any Time is Cava Time

Many consider champagne and other sparkling wines to be only for special occasions like New Year’s Eve.  Click on the “Continue reading” link below to see why Pangeans think “any time is cava time”.

You can also check out our newest review, on the Artcava Winery and Tour here:

http://pangean.org/reviews/artcava-winery-and-tour/

For those not familiar with cava, it is the sparkling wine of the Penedés valley in the Catalonia region of Spain (approximately 40 minutes from Barcelona).  Relying primarily on three varietals: Macabeu, Xarel⋅lo, and Parellada, cava is produced using the mèthode traditionelle (aka méthode champenoise). Using this method, the grapes are picked and crushed before they are fully ripe (often at 15 to 18% sugars) and fermented to natural dryness.  Heavy gauge bottles, designed to withstand the internal pressure created by the carbon dioxide from fermentation, are filled with this cuveé.  The cuveé (which at this point it at approximately 9% alcohol) becomes the starting point for cava to which Sugar or ‘sweet reserve’ is then added to the bottle along with a selected strain of yeast.  Secondary fermentation takes place during which the yeast consumes the sugars and produces carbon dioxide and a little more alcohol.  The bottles are capped and stored for an extended period of time, with a minimum period often set by local regulation. The longer the time on the yeast, the more toasty-yeasty flavours are imparted. In the case of Artcava, they offer 12 month, 24 month, and 28 month selections.  After aging on the yeast, the bottles are ‘riddled’ (inclined and periodically twisted) to tease the dead yeast cells and sediment to the neck.  When fully riddled, the necks of the bottles are frozen and the bottle cap removed to ‘disgorge’ the sediment plug which is pushed out due to the internal pressure.  Large corks are inserted quickly after disgorgement and capped and wired to the bottle.

Artcava produces Cava Palagó Selecció Especial, a 100% blend of Xarel⋅lo aged for 28 months, Cava Palagó Selecció D’Autor, a blend of 33% Macabeu, 33% Xarel⋅lo, and 33% Parellada aged for 12 months, and Cava Palagó Selecció Chardonay, which is made with 10% Chardonnay added to the equal blend of Macabeu, Xarel⋅lo and Parellada, all aged for a minimum of 24 months.  This particular Pangean was quite taken by the crispness and flavours in their Selecció D’Autor, the youngest and least expensive of their products. Although this is not formal review of the wines, all of the Pangeans in our group enjoyed the Artcava offerings immensely.

As noted above, many believe that sparkling wine should only come out for special occasions.  Pangeans beg to differ and not just because we produce our own (Two Redwoods Vineyard) bubbly by the méthode champenoise, but also because it is a wonderful flavour experience in its own right. As a friend and honorary Pangean once commented about sparkling wine: “its like a party on your tongue” – Who doesn’t like a party?  Especially, when cava is a reasonably priced alternative to still wines.  So yes, any time is cava time!

Other useful links: About the Region: http://www.dopenedes.cat ; about cava: http://crcava.es/ ; and about Catalonia: http://www.gencat.cat/en/temes/catalunya/