New regulations will be reflected on bottles starting January 1, 2022
June 16th – Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain—The Official State Gazette of Spain (B.O.E.) has published a new regulation regarding the ambitious zoning and segmentation project led by the D.O. Cava, that will appear on wine labels starting in January 2022. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has approved the new regulations drawn up by the D.O. Cava, marking the start of an important phase of implementation that will involve all winegrowers and winemakers of the Designation of Origin, with the aim to augment the quality characteristics of Cava wines.
The president of the Regulatory Board, Javier Pagés, underlines the importance of the regulations, which are the result of a new strategic plan unanimously approved by the Board’s plenary session: “We are committed to maximum traceability and quality. It is the most demanding regulation in the world for quality D.O. sparkling wines made using the strict traditional method. All of this places the D.O. Cava at the forefront of quality sparkling wine designations of origin.”
Cavas aged for more than nine months will now be called Cava de Guarda, while those aged for more than 18 months will be called Cava de Guarda Superior. Cavas Reserva will be aged from 15 to 18 months. The ambitious new regulations also require that the production of Cavas de Guarda Superior, the long-aging category that includes Cavas Reserva (minimum 18 months of aging), Gran Reserva (minimum 30 months of aging) and Cavas de Paraje Calificado (from a special plot and with a minimum of 36 months of aging), will be 100% organic by 2025.
The Cavas de Guarda Superior will be made with grapes from vineyards registered in the Regulatory Board’s specific Register of Guarda Superior, which must meet the following requirements: vines at least 10 years old, organic vines (5 years of transition), vines with specific qualitative yields of a maximum of 4.9 tons/acre, separate production (separate traceability from the vineyard to the bottle), production starting in January, proof of the vintage on the label, and organic product (5 years of transition).
The zoning of the D.O. Cava has been established on two levels, marked by specific climatic, orographic, historical and cultural attributes that justify the new plan and lend these wines their unique identity. The following zones have been defined: Comtats de Barcelona, which encompasses the Cavas of the region of Catalonia (with sub-zones Valls d’Anoia-Foix; Serra de Mar; Conca del Gaia; Serra de Prades and Pla de Ponent), Ebro Valley (with sub-zones Alto Ebro and Valle del Cierzo), Viñedos de Almendralejo, and Levante (the definitive nomenclature is still to be confirmed).
In addition, the demanding new regulations allow the voluntary creation of an “Integral Producer” label for those wineries that press and vinify 100% of their products.
Its appearance in the B.O.E. confirms the official nature of this new product categorization by segments and zones, providing consumers with information about the product, and highlighting the work of winegrowers and winemakers.
For additional information, please contact Katie Canfield of O’Donnell Lane at 530-720-1138 or by email at katie@odonnell-lane.com.
About D.O. Cava
With more than 70% of international sales, Cava is the Spanish D.O. which exports the most wine: its 370 associated wineries are present in over 100 countries. The D.O. encompasses more than 93,900 acres of vineyards and more than 6,800 winegrowers. Cava is a quality sparkling wine that pairs perfectly with every type of food, and is made using the traditional method, with a strict commitment to origin, land, and sustainability. To learn more, visit cava.wine and follow on social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
