Page 31 - CAVAS 2018 OK

2018

MORE THAN JUST A PRODUCTION METHOD

The history of CAVA goes back to before
1986, which is when the Denomination
“Cava” was reserved for the quality
sparkling wines produced by the
traditional method in Spain.

Cs we were informed by the Institut del Cava,
in the XVIII century in Catalonia sparkling
A wines were already known due to the fact
that in the towns of La Selva and Ampurdan (Gerona)
were the main suppliers of corks for the producers
of Champagne, in France. About 1860, Champagne
style sparkling wines were being produced, that is to CAVAS & OTRAS BURBUJAS
say using the same varieties of grape as their French
neighbours. The outbreak of phylloxera in 1879 and
its disastrous consequences in the vineyards served
as an excuse to restructure the vineyards with native
varieties, especially the white varieties, establishing
the argumentative bases of what would be the future
development of the future CAVA. Besides all the legal
intricacies which preceded the Cava Denomination of
Origin, there were grand characters who contributed
to the success of the CAVA model with their work.
One of these was Luis Justo Villanueva from Madrid,
responsible for developing the second fermentation
method in Catalonia between 1871 and 1876 through
the Instituto Agrícola Catalán of San Isidro. Manuel
Raventós, the son of the pioneer Catalonian producer
Josep Raventós (Codorníu) and Marc Mir, one of the
most important agricultural owners within the area
of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, led the remodelling of the
Catalonian vineyards at the endo of the XIX century,
deciding for the local varieties which would give rise
to the development of Cava. Grand Catalonian wineries
such as Codorníu, Freixenet and Juvee Camps were
responsible for expanding Cava throughout the country
and also for giving it an international projection.

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