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25/09/2024

History and tradition of cava: a journey through its origins and evolution

History and tradition of cava: a journey through its origins and evolution
Wine is one of the drinks that has the greatest cultural tradition over the centuries and one of the most consumed throughout the world. In fact, there are writings in which describe the production and consumption of wine in both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, as well as throughout Roman civilization.  In fact, being a rather stimulating alcoholic drink, in ancient Greek and Roman civilizations it was considered a drink related to the gods, especially with the god Bacchus - Dionysus. For this reason, it was widely consumed in the rites dedicated to this god, also known as the “Dionysian rites.”  With the passage of time and, with the arrival of Christianity, this drink was made in medieval monasteries and, of course, it was It maintained the ritual meaning, thanks to the introduction of the sacrament of the Eucharist, where the faithful began to take bread and red wine in the church, understood as the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  Nowadays, although this meaning remains, this drink is used more recreationally, to liven up gatherings with friends and all kinds of celebrations. In addition to red wine, it is also possible to find other wines, such as whites, rosés and, of course, sparkling wines, such as cava or champagne. So, if you want to learn more about the history of cava, we recommend you follow reading our article. 

What is cava?

Cava is a type of high quality sparkling wine which is characterized by its bright golden color and by producing very recognizable bubbles very recognizable bubbles, which makes it very similar to French champagne, another type of sparkling wine. However, both drinks manage to have very different flavors and personalities on the palate. In addition to white cava, there is also rosé, with similar characteristics, although with certain differences in terms of flavor and aroma.  In fact, in Spain, is the type of wine most used in all types of celebrations, such as, for example, university graduations, bachelor parties, birthdays, weddings, Christmas, to toast at the New Year's Eve party, etc. If you wonder why, we will say that, due to its color and its ability to form bubbles, it is one of the most elegant drinks in our country.  All of this has also meant that it is related to the celebration of very positive events. Furthermore, cava is a drink with a supra-autonomous Designation of Origin of Spain thanks to its traditional production method and, of course, for its high quality and great ability to pair with all types of dishes. Now, as we mentioned above, there are differences between white cavas and rosé cavas. 

History of cava: what is its origin?

For centuries, only the most classic wines existed, such as red, white and rosé. However, in the 18th century the birth of sparkling wines took place. Like everything, this type of drink was discovered by mere chance in the French region of Champagne, where, to speed up production, they began to bottle wines that had not yet finished the first fermentation. In this way, the producers realized that bubbles appeared. The bottles used to store wine in the 18th century were made of a much thinner glass than the one we use today, so, when subjected to the added pressure of late fermentation in the bottle itself, these bottles began to burst. Realizing this, Champagne producers began to use larger bottles thick to be able to store this sparkling wine that would later be known as champagne Of course, this sparkling wine was very successful and achieved great popularity in just a few years. Therefore, after a few centuries, already in the 19th century, the engineer Luis Justo y Villanueva began to produce his own version of this sparkling wine using native grapes and making some changes throughout production.  Thanks to this, the production of cava was established in the Catalan region of Penedés and, subsequently, it was recognized as a Spanish product of the highest quality, with Designation of Origin. Of course, at Cave Gillet, you can find this type of wine in our catalogue cava.

Traditional method of making cava

The traditional method for making cava is very similar to that of French champagne production. This means that the first fermentation takes place in the barrel and the second, directly, in the bottle. For this reason, the bottles currently used are reinforced to be able to resist the increase in pressure after fermentation.  Have you ever opened a bottle of cava and the cap has made a “pop” or has been ejected? This is due to the pressure exerted throughout its production process. In fact, this second fermentation is absolutely essential to obtain the bubbles so characteristic of this acclaimed sparkling wine.In the production of champagne, the grape varieties that are usually used are the chardonnay, the pinot noir and the meunier. The chardonnay provides elegance and aromatic complexity, the pinot noir, the power and the body and, the meunier, a round and fruity flavor. On the other hand, cava has a history, since is made from three other main types of grapes, such as xarel·lo, the macabeo and the parellada. The xarel·lo gives the cava greater structure and body, Macabeo, gives it the fruity flavor and its characteristic aromas and, finally, the parellada, provides a fine and fresh flavor. Thus, in general, its flavor is sweeter and fruitier than champagne.  Of course, there are also varieties for rosé cavas, such as trepat, the grenache and the monastrell. All these grapes give cava a very characteristic flavor and aroma that greatly differentiate it from champagne. For this reason, today, it is considered a high quality wine with a Spanish designation of origin. 
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