The Institut Del Cava, the association of Cava producers, is focusing its efforts in promoting awareness of the wide range of high quality, complex Cavas now being produced, and how well they go with food. Felicity Murray reports

The Spanish sparkling wine, is produced by the traditional method, is being marketed as the perfect way to toast in the weekend on a Friday evening.
This summer, in the UK, for example it is running a “gastropub campaign”.

Cava serves as a perfect accompaniment to the four main flavour groups (salt, sweet, bitter and acidic), the producers say, whilst also complimenting fatty foods as the carbon dioxide bubbles help to refresh the palate.

Salads
Salads with fruit (especially grapes, apples and pears) and the growing range of vinegars such as Cava vinegar make Cava an ideal choice.
Recommended: Cava Brut, Brut Reserva

Pasta
The neutral flavour of pasta makes it easy to combine with almost any variety of Cava. 
Recommended: Cava Brut Nature, Brut, Extra Brut Reserva

Rice
One of the best matches. This is a clear example of Cava as a “conductor” of flavours. Cava goes particularly well with paellas and risottos.
Recommended: Cava Brut, Extra Brut, Rosé

Seafood
Cava helps to enhance the flavour intensity of seafood and shellfish as their natural saltiness is balanced out by the acidity of dry varieties.
Recommended: Cava Brut Nature Reserva, Brut Gran Reserva

Fish
A particularly good combination with blue or fatty fish, as the effect of the carbon dioxide balances the greasy sensation in the mouth.  ‘Meatier’ fish such as tuna also goes very well with Cava.
Recommended: Cava Brut Nature/Brut, Cava Reserva Brut Nature/Brut

Meat
Cava has a perfect harmony with poultry and white meats.  It is also a tasty accompaniment to lamb, stews, carpaccio, foie gras etc.
Recommended: Cava Brut Nature, Brut Gran Reserva, Rosé

Desserts – light, sweet desserts and acidic red fruit flavours match nicely with Cavas that are drier.  The flavours of long aged varieties are a perfect match with desserts in general, and sweet Cavas are a pleasant accompaniment to custard-based or creamy dishes.
Recommended: Cava Brut, Demi-sec, Sweet, Rosé

About Cava

Cava is a quality sparkling wine produced in a designated area (Cava region) under specific characteristics in which the second fermentation and aging take place in the same bottle that the consumer uncorks, allowing the bubbles to be produced in a natural way following the traditional method.

There are different types of Cava dependent on how long the wine is allowed to age during its second fermentation:

Cava – a minimum of nine months aging
Cava Reserva – a minimum of 15 months aging
Cava Gran Reserva – a minimum of 30 months aging

Cavas can also be classified by their sugar content; the more sugar is added to the wine, the sweeter it will be.  This is broken down as:

Brut Nature - no added sugar
Extra Brut - pp to 6 grams of sugar per litre
Brut - up to 15 grams of sugar per litre
Extra Dry - Between 12 and 20 grams of sugar per litre
Dry - Between 17 and 35 grams of sugar per litre
Demisec - Between 33 and 50 grams of sugar per litre
Sweet - More than 50 grams of sugar per litre

Grape varieties and characteristics

Macabeo - moderate acidity and alcohol content; light, fruity and floral when young.  Delicately pearly with a light bouquet.
Xarel.lo - produces structured and well balanced wines with good acidity, providing personality and aging potential.
Parellada - fruity, fresh and aromatic wines.  Moderate acidity, providing fragrance freshness and life to young Cavas.
Chardonnay - balanced wines with body and strong aromas. Good alcohol content.  Great persistence in the mouth.
Garnacha (Grenache) - balanced wines, with stable and not very intense colour.  Rich alcohol and moderate acidity.
Pinot Noir - aromatic and rich in alcohol.  Delicate; excellent acidity and alcohol balance.
Monastrell (Mourvèdre) - intense colour, full bodied.  Good alcohol content and balance between alcohol and acidity.
Trepat – only used for making rosé Cavas.  Little colour intensity.  Moderate alcohol content, balanced acidity, light and little body.