Barcelona
Cava: Barcelona’s sparkling wine and where to try it
Sparkling wine contains dissolved gas, meaning that it’s doubly fermented inside the bottle. This is done by adding sugar and bottling the wine before it has finished the fermentation process.
Without doubt, the most famous sparkling wine in the world is Champagne, but there are many more. One of the best is called ‘Cava‘, and is found in Spain, more specifically in the region of Catalonia and its surroundings. Below, we explain a bit more about the different types of sparkling wine, we reveal the origin of Cava and we recommend an exciting wine tasting experience in Barcelona.
Types of sparkling wine around the world
Champagne is the most famous sparkling wine of all. It’s produced in France, with popular varieties such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier.
Italy also has its own sparkling wine (Spumante) like Asti, Prosecco and Lambrusco. Whilst Germany boasts Sekt and Schauwein.
Other areas of the world, like Australia and the United States, also have regions with a suitable climate and the quality raw materials need to produce sparkling wine. For example, the regions of Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, California and Oregon all use traditional methods to produce quality sparkling wines.
Cava: the sparkling wine you must try in Barcelona
In Spain, the sparkling wine par excellence is Cava. It is produced in the Penedés region, which is close to Barcelona, and dates back to the end of the 19th century. When, in 1887, the Phylloxera plague arrived from France, they had to change the grape varieties used and introduced white grape vines instead of red grape vines, therefore creating a wine with its own character.
The grape varieties most used for Cava are Xarel·lo, Macabeo and Parellada, whose properties are different, meaning they combine to create a unique taste. The United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and Belgium are the biggest consumers of Catalan Cava.
Cava and wine sampling in Barcelona
If you come on holiday to Barcelona and you like wine, then you must try Cava. We recommend a guided tour with a wine and Cava tasting experience in a family-owned vineyard.
On this tour we will visit 2 wineries, selected by our experts. We will arrive at the first in our luxurious Mercedes SUV. An expert oenologist will await you in the winery where the family have been growing vines for more than 2,000 years.
As well as learning all the vineyard’s secrets, and learning about the wine making process, we will try 4 wines along with some gourmet Spanish cold meats. We will tour the estate in a 4×4 for around 40 minutes, with spectacular views and a chance to relax.
The second winery also has a lot of history and is a specialist producer of Cava, Catalonia’s sparkling wine. After visiting the winery and the vineyards, we will taste 4 different types of Cava with a selection of aperitives.
Try Cava on your visit to Barcelona with World Experience!
