Vilafranca del Penedès, 3 March 2022 - On Tuesday 5 April, the Cava D.O. will be the main protagonist of the second edition of Barcelona Wine Week (BWW), the Spanish wine fair. The world of Cava will hold a key position at a round table that will bring together leading sommeliers and Masters of Wine. This will be followed by a top-level tasting with 7 Cavas that are aged in the bottle for more than ten years, from a selection of exceptional producers. All of this will take place under the auspices of the BWW, whose main themes in this edition are sustainability, wine tourism, wine culture, digitalisation and innovation.
On the second day of the fair, from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Speaker's Corner of the BWW, there will be a round table discussion led by Ferran Centelles together with Javier Pagés, president of the Cava D.O., under the title 'Cava 2.0: the era of sustainable development'.
Centelles and Pagés will explain the entire process, carried out to implement the new regulations of the Regulatory Council already in force. In addition, they will highlight its importance in the move towards sustainable and organic production, while also explaining the differences. The D.O.’s commitment in this area will be shown through emphasis on origin, supported by the new zoning and segmentation. The keynote speakers will be Pedro Ballesteros MW, Ferran Centelles, Sarah Jane Evans MW and Fernando Mora MW. The experts will give their opinion on what future direction is needed to achieve sustainable development, driven by the Cava sector.
These experts - who have supported the new regulations since the project stage - will reveal their opinions about the changes, and will also explain how Cava is viewed around the world. In this participative meeting, people will be able to talk to the experts, ask questions and resolve doubts about the new regulations implemented by the D.O. Cava, which have been in force since January 2022.
This occasion will also offer an opportunity to officially present the new quality seals that will appear on bottles of Cava from the wineries, and their benefits for a more informed consumer.
"Organic viticulture is now established in the Cava Designation of Origin, but this clear visibility also means that all products in the Guarda Superior category must be guaranteed as organic".
This labour is already being carried out with the correct care for the vineyards, and to conserve the terroirs, their biodiversity and their landscapes. A sustainable future depends on everyone, and through this round table, Cava will demonstrate its commitment to adopting measures that involve an entire sector.
Next, at 1 pm in the BWW's Príncipe Room, there will be a unique tasting led by the specialist journalist and sommelier Ramon Francàs with seven exclusive and internationally renowned Cavas. Alimentaria Exhibitions aims to make this an unprecedented experience. All of them are products that are still available on the market, with minimum aging of 10 years, and most are of extremely limited production. They are the 'Magnificent 7' of Cava.
The tasting is intended to show the astonishing diversity and excellence of Cava. In short, it aims to be an unforgettable experience, the most exclusive tasting to date. According to Ramon Francàs,
"The aim is to show that there are world-class products in the Cava D.O. that are as superlative as the most famous on the planet".
Francàs adds that "it aims to be a tasting with which to demonstrate that Cava is capable of defying the long aging process with great nobility and, at the same time, to emphasise the great gastronomic and stylistic versatility of the products protected by the D.O. Cava".
From 4 to 6 April, the Cava Designation of Origin will be present in Pavilion 8 (Street C Stand 204) at Barcelona Wine Week, which will be held at Montjuic 1. During the fair, selected tastings of Cavas de Guarda Superior de Paraje Calificado will be held at the stand, as well as other specific tastings by the participating wineries. There will also be demonstrations of the Cava Academy learning platform (www.cavaacademy.com), which will provide on-site training for the first time in the Cava region on 7 and 8 April.
With more than 70% of international sales, Cava is the Spanish D.O. that exports the most. The Cava industry has over 38,000 hectares of vineyards and more than 6,800 winegrowers, and its 370 associated wineries are present in more than 100 countries. Cava, which pairs harmoniously with every type of gastronomy, is made using the traditional method, with a strict commitment to origin, land and sustainability.