Anna Codorniu Cava Blanc de Blanc Brut Reserva
Made With: 70%, parellada 15%, xarel·lo and macabeo 15%.
Aging: Aged 30 Months on Lees
MSRP: $18.99
Taste: Medium dryness with a hint of white peaches on the palate and a clean finish.
Pair With: This wine would pair well with cheese, chicken, and seafood dishes.
If you’re looking for a great sparkling wine to celebrate the holidays that is also affordable in price, you may want to consider Cava…Spain’s contribution to the world’s sparkling wine market.
Anna de Codorniu is the top line of Codorniu winery, the oldest producer of Cava, founded in 1551 near Barcelona. This sparkling wine is made in the Montsant region surrounding the Montsant Mastif located in northeastern Spain. Montsant was long considered a sub-zone of the Tarragona wine region, In fact, its high-altitude steep vineyards, located between 164 and 2,296 feet above sea level, have casted it away from the rest of Tarragona, providing the area with some distinctive features, which finally allowed Montsant to be recognized as a Protected Designation of Origin on its own merits in 2001.
Cava has undergone some recent changes related to wine labeling that put the emphasis on quality and origin. Terroir is central in the new Cava Regulation, which for the first time recognizes the importance and uniqueness of the many different vineyards where Cava grapes are grown. From now onwards, on a voluntary basis, the producer will be able to mention on the label both zone and subzone of grape origin, as well as stating if the product has been entirely processed at their own winery. Also, along with the traditional distinction based on sweetness level, the new regulation establishes a new separation between Cava de Guarda, which indicates wines aged for minimum 9 months on the lees, and Cava de Guarda Superior, reserved for wines aged on the lees for at least 18 months and including under its umbrella the Reserva, Gran Reserva and Cava de Paraje Calificado. The aging time for the Cava Reserva has also been extended from 15 to 18 months whereas aging requirements have remained the same for Gran Reserva (30 months) and Cava de Paraje Calificado (36 months).
In summary, the various types and lengths of again for Cava are:
Cava de Guarda – Minimum aging of 9 months
Cava de Guarda Superior – Minimum aging of 18 months
Cava Reserva – Minimum aging increased to 18 months
Cava Grand Reserva – Minimum aging of 30 months
Cava de Paraje Calificado – Minimum aging of 36 months
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