When it comes to appreciating a good Cava, without a doubt, time is an important factor. The Cavas de Guarda, fruity and aromatic, are the youngest, with a minimum bottle aging of 9 months. The Cavas de Guarda Superior, for their part, are aged in the bottle for at least 18 months and comply with a series of highly demanding regulations.
Among the Superior Guard categories, the Reserva Cavas are those that have undergone at least the aforementioned 18 months of aging, while the Gran Reserva Cavas start from at least 30 months and those from Paraje Calificado start from 36 months of aging. The minimum age of the vineyards is 10 years and they must be 100% organic. Production is limited (10,000 kilos of grapes per hectare and 8,000 per hectare, in the case of Guarda Superior de Paraje Calificado) and vintage (always mentioning the year of harvest).
The Cava de Guarda Superior from Paraje Calificado is a simply unique product, the result of a special and specific place, a vineyard and a farm that, due to its location and terroir characteristics, is different from the others. The territory, the peculiarities of the soil and the climate give rise to very diverse Cavas. This name is always synonymous with high quality and uniqueness, and serves to evoke a product with its own personality.
Aging for more than 36 months is not the only requirement that the ten Qualified Paraje Cavas currently available on the market must meet. To the 10-year-old vineyards and production limited to 8,000 kg/ha, we add manual harvesting, vinification on the property, control of extraction yield limited to 48 hl/ha, and full traceability from the vineyard. until its commercialization and the unique production of vintage Cava.
Sustainability is a key factor in the new regulation, which will allow, starting in 2025, the Cavas de Guarda Superior to be made entirely with procedures and vineyards selected and certified as organic. This represents a true differential and unique milestone for this product segment in particular and for DO Cava in general. Cava producers are especially aware that only sustainable development will guarantee the future of the sector for future generations. For this reason, they have made respect for the environment one of their priorities.
In addition, one of the new features visible on the labeling is the new Elaborador Integral seal. This mention allows us to identify those wineries whose products covered by the DO Cava have been pressed and vinified on the property, from the beginning to the end of the process. Today, the wineries that hold this certification are Agustí Torelló Mata, Alta Alella, Avinyó, Blancher, Bodegas Escudero, Can Suriol, Celler Carles Andreu, Gatell, Giró del Gorner, Juvé
The pleasures that the highest quality Cavas bring are innumerable. Their versatility makes them ideal for pairing with any cuisine in the world. At the same time, its flavor, which recalls the intensity and balance of Mediterranean fruit, together with the acidity provided by the light and refreshing bubbles, serves to enhance and elevate each dish, from those based on traditional recipes to creative and avant-garde cuisine.
Furthermore, as the aroma specialist François Chartier has studied, each category of Cava is distinguished by a unique aromatic profile, sharing harmonies with multiple ingredients, which translates into an infinite number of recipes around the world.
With more than 70% of international sales, Cava is currently the Spanish DO that exports the most to the world. With more than 38,000 hectares of vineyards and more than 6,200 winegrowers, its 349 associated wineries are present on the tables of more than 100 countries. Cava has become synonymous with quality, harmony and flavor, as well as a symbol of its professionals’ commitment to origin, land and sustainability.
