History Of Cava In Almendralejo
Cava Production Method
History Of Cava In Almendralejo
The vineyards and the winery soon registered at the Regulatory Board of Cava. However, a few years later, in 1986, as Spain joined the EU and had to adapt to the European legislation, Marcelino Díaz had to go to court against a new law which did not include the town of Almendralejo as a cava producing area, following a proposal by Catalonian cava management board.
Cava making in Almendralejo started back in the 1980s, when a group of three young winemakers from this town (Marcelino Díaz, Aniceto Mesías and Pablo Juárez) embarked on the project of making a sparkling wine using the traditional method. As a result, they released the first 6,000 bottles in 1983.
Fortunately, after a long trial, Marcelino got the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to include the municipality of Almendralejo as part of the Denomination of Origin CAVA.
Cava Production Method
Harvest
The grapes are harvested sometime between the end of July and the middle of August, ensuring a good level of acidity to enable a double fermentation. The grapes are taken to the winery, where the fruit is separated from the stalks. Then the grapes are gently pressed to obtain the first juice (must).
First Fermentation
The first fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks under a controlled temperature. The first wine obtained is called “base wine”. Then the coupage is carried out, blending the base wines coming from different grape varieties in the proportion determined by each producer, thus contributing to the personality of cava.
Tirage
A mix containing sugar and selected yeasts is added to the base wine to start the second fermentation. This is know as “tirage liqueur”. Then the wine is bottled in thick glass bottles sealed using a plastic top with a metal clip.
Second Fermentation
The bottles under fermentation are then stored in a horizontal position known as “en rima”, in storage rooms with controlled temperatures for a minimum of nine months. During this time the yeast transforms the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide in a totally natural way. This gas dissolves slowly inside the bottle and is responsible for the creation of the delicate bubbles that characterise cava.
Riddling
At the end of this fermentation process the yeast dies and sticks onto the sides of the bottle. In order to remove it, the bottles have to be slowly placed from a horizontal position to a vertical one, so from rima to punta, until all the dead yeast cells are concentrated in the neck of the bottle. This action is called “removido”.
Disgorging
Once the previous step is complete, the neck of the bottle is frozen, forming a capsule of ice that retains all the fermentation sediments. As the bottle is opened, this capsule of ice gets expelled due to the high pressure inside the bottle, leaving the cava remaining clear and clean. This step is known as “disgorgement”.
Dosage And Labelling
The bottle then gets topped up with more wine and the producer can then decide to add the “expedition liqueur”, a mix of wine and sugar which will determine the type of cava that is to be labelled: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extraseco, Semiseco or Dulce (the sweetest type).This action is known as “dosage”.
Finally, the bottle is corked and for more security a wire “morrion” is placed on top.
This is the end of the preparation before the bottle gets labelled and follows its way into distribution.