Is this a bottle of D.O. CAVA?

published 17 October 2023

Cava has without a doubt, become an international byword for premium-quality, traditional-method sparkling wine in Spain and across the world. Now the D.O. Cava is not only focused on making it easier for Cava drinkers to enjoy the region’s wine but to understand it as well.

Labelled for quality

The denomination’s most recent move to enable consumers to choose their Cava wines in a clear and simple way, has seen them introduce helpful new standardised labels, called a marchamo. These marchamos offer important information about the provenance, quality category and traceability of all D.O. Cava sparkling wines.

Next time you buy a D.O. Cava, be sure to check the back of the bottle, where you’ll find innovative new labelling: the new marchamos indicate the wine’s origin, identifying whether the wine originates in the wider Cava territory, or a specific zone or sub-zone within the D.O.

The marchamo also identifies the quality category of the Cava in the bottle, with a colour system introduced to help consumers to identify the quality categories of premium Cava. Green is for Cava de Guarda (wines with a minimum of nine months ageing in the bottle); silver for Cava de Guarda Superior – Reserva (aged for a minimum of 18 months); gold for Cava De Guarda Superior – Gran Reserva (aged for a minimum 30 months); and the gold marchamo in rhomboid shape with ‘P’ (for Paraje) for Cava de Paraje Calificado (aged for a minimum of 36 months).

Seal of approval

Additional quality assurance is provided by a new official Designation of Origin guarantee seal from the Cava Regulatory Council. ‘This seal represents what sets us apart and identifies us as the authentic Cava with Designation of Origin status,’ President of the Cava Regulatory Council, Javier Pagés, explains. ‘It offers the highest level of certification, and is the only official one that guarantees the quality of the product to the consumer, certifying the authenticity of its characteristics and of the information on the label.’

The new labels incorporate a QR code that allows Cava aficionados to easily access additional information about the product, beyond its origin, such as recommended food pairings and creative recipes.

Going organic

In addition to these labelling innovations, the D.O. Cava is taking ambitious steps towards another major priority; sustainability. Every day the D.O. works alongside its 6,800+ winegrowers and 350 Cava-producing wineries to help them make sustainability integral to their work. The D.O. has even set a bold target for its premium Cavas, pushing for them to be 100% organic by 2025.

The result is that Cava lovers can feel confident that the wine in their glass has been produced, bottled and sold according to the strictest quality standards, with sustainability as a concrete goal for the Cava region’s producers.