text copyright 2017 Art of Living, Prima Media, Inc/Maria Liberati
Editor: Christina Joell
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much of champagne is just right” Mark Twain
Attention wine and champagne lovers – particularly white and rosé! Cava, although not new, is something that should be on your radar.
What’s Cava? It is a sparkling wine traditionally made in Catalonia, Spain, but it is also produced in other parts of Spain. It can only be called Cava if it is produced in the champagne traditional method, meaning it is fermented twice (once on the barrel and second in the bottle). It’s somewhat similar to champagne. It’s made the same, only with different grapes. It actually used to be called “Spanish champagne,” but that’s no longer permitted due to European Union Law. Now, it is exclusively Cava, but the conciseness is nice, right?
Cava is an integral and important part of the Catalan culture and tradition. Similar to champagne, it is used in celebrations like marriages, parties, baptisms, and more. It’s aromatic, not extremely sweet, but it still has a fruity taste to it.
There are two major Cava producers in the world. The oldest and second largest producer is called Codorniu. This name is actually the last name of the family that owns the business and their business goes all the way back to the 16th century! Not only are they the oldest Cava producer, but also the oldest family business in Spain and one of the oldest in the world! In 1976, the cellars were declared a national monument of historical and artistic interest.
Codorniu is located in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia in Barcelona, Spain. They have tours of the grounds in which you can explore the vineyard and the winery. In fact, they even have a tour in which you can bicycle through the vineyards! But the experience doesn’t stop there, at the end, you can taste two of cava flavors! With every sip, you’re literally tasting history.
For recipes to pair with champagne or ciik with get your copy of the Gourmand World Award Winning book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays and Special Occasions-2nd edition
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