Sparkling wines experience a special effervescence. Bubbles are in full fashion. The commitment to organic products and sustainability is very notable, while at the same time work is being done to raise the prestige and value of Catalan sparkling wines, in which there is a firm commitment to long aging in the highest level segment. The general director of the Spanish Wine Market Observatory, Rafael del Rey, states that sparkling wine is the one that has shown the best performance in the last 6 years in the Spanish market. He specifies that “in a situation of relative stagnation in the wine markets, both internationally and in Spain, sparkling wines are one of the categories that perform best, with good growth in terms of value and falls in volume that are significantly smaller than that other wines suffer.” He adds that, among Spanish wine exports, “sparkling wine is also one of those that shows the best evolution in value and reduces its sales the least in volume.”
The president of the DO Cava Regulatory Council, Javier Pagés, states that “the bubbles of Cava, which I want to remind you, correspond to a quality sparkling wine with a designation of origin, made following the traditional method and governed by great traceability, control and one of the most demanding regulations, they are having a splendid time.” He has no doubt that cava will continue to conquer palates in all international markets, “also partly due to the lack of product availability from our main qualitative competitors.” Javier Pagés adds that “it is our commitment not to give up in the attempt to convince consumers of the quality of our cavas.” And it also highlights the great diversity of cavas that exist, and their “unbeatable” versatility in pairing with the most outstanding cuisines in the world.
Sergio Fuster, CEO of the Raventós Codorníu group, speaks of “moderate optimism” regarding this Christmas campaign. He recalls that the cava market continues to grow between 5% and 10% in value in the Food channel, according to the latest data from the consulting firm Nielsen. Fuster understands that “sparkling wine is in fashion,” and assures that a “unique” economic moment has begun that allows DO Cava to gain ground over prosecco and champagne. He sees a long way to go, and is convinced that “the best cava in history is being made.”
The president of the Corpinnat producers’ association, Ton Mata, believes that “sparkling wines are increasingly being produced that are closer to an origin, to a terroir, to the cultivation and reclamation of the traditional varieties of a geographical area as a speaker for its particularities.” He understands that “in addition to the more casual and experimental perspective that some winegrowers bring, there are proposals from other wineries with a long history, and even centuries old, that can offer revolutionary proposals that connect with increasingly knowledgeable and demanding clients, and who seek to enjoy sparkling wine with gastronomy.”
And this is, according to Mata, one of the keys to the great reception that sparkling wines have, at least from the perspective experienced at Corpinnat: “A well-defined identity, a capacity for constant evolution, transparency with consumers and proposals that expand consumption habits beyond celebrations.” On the other hand, he believes that we are reaching the point where wine lovers are looking for a diversity of styles among sparkling wines. Furthermore, he points out that “the trends of more subtle and lighter wines, with lower alcohol content, but very elegant and with a very high personality, are favorable winds for Corpinnat and other sparkling wines.”