{"id":145378,"date":"2026-10-19T11:17:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-19T09:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/?p=145378"},"modified":"2026-10-19T15:12:41","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T13:12:41","slug":"vocabulari-del-cava-6-termes-essencials-per-entendren-lelaboracio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/vocabulari-del-cava-6-termes-essencials-per-entendren-lelaboracio\/","title":{"rendered":"Six terms for understanding how Cava is made"},"content":{"rendered":"

Behind every bottle of cava lies a production process in which each stage has its own purpose and takes a certain amount of time. From blending the base wines to the moment the bottle is ready to leave the winery, a series of traditional techniques determine the character and quality of the final product.<\/p>\n

Understanding cava vocabulary helps us gain a better understanding of this process and identify the operations, elements and phenomena involved in its production. Below, we review six essential terms in the order in which they appear throughout the process.<\/p>\n

1. Blending: combining the base wines<\/h2>\n

Blending is the combination of different base wines to define the profile of the cava to be produced. It may include wines made from different grape varieties, vineyards or vintages, depending on the winery\u2019s winemaking approach and the style it aims to achieve.<\/p>\n

In cavas made from traditional grape varieties such as Macabeo, Xarel\u00b7lo and Parellada, each wine can contribute different nuances of acidity, structure and aromatic expression. The proportion of each wine is determined by seeking balance and harmony in the final blend.<\/p>\n

Blending is therefore one of the key decisions that define the identity of the cava before the second fermentation begins.<\/p>\n

2. Traditional method: the second fermentation inside the bottle<\/h2>\n

The traditional method is the production process used to make cava in which the second alcoholic fermentation takes place inside the same bottle in which the wine will be sold.<\/p>\n

Once the base wine has been prepared, tirage liqueur is added. This is a mixture containing sugar and yeast. The bottle is then sealed and a new fermentation begins. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which remains trapped inside the bottle and produces the characteristic bubbles of cava.<\/p>\n

After this fermentation, the bottles remain in the cellar to age for a period that varies according to the style of cava. During this stage, many of the nuances that enrich the wine\u2019s profile develop.<\/p>\n

3. Yeast: the key players in fermentation and ageing<\/h2>\n

Yeast consists of microorganisms that convert sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide during alcoholic fermentation. In cava production, yeast plays a role in the second fermentation inside the bottle and is also important during the subsequent ageing process.<\/p>\n

Once fermentation is complete, the yeast settles inside the bottle. Over time, it undergoes a process known as autolysis, during which it releases compounds that can contribute to the texture, structure and aromatic complexity of the cava.<\/p>\n

This process can encourage the development of notes of pastry, toasted bread and dried fruit, particularly in cavas that undergo extended ageing.<\/p>\n

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4 Rima: Resting During Ageing<\/h2>\n

Rima refers to the arrangement of bottles in a horizontal position during ageing. At this stage, the cava remains in contact with the yeast that has settled at the bottom of the bottle after the second fermentation.<\/p>\n

The ageing period allows the wine to evolve and develop new aromatic and flavour characteristics. The length of this period depends on the category of cava and the style the winery aims to achieve.<\/p>\n

Rima is one of the most characteristic sights in cava cellars: rows of bottles resting under controlled conditions while the wine develops greater complexity.<\/p>\n

When the ageing process reaches the desired stage, the bottles move on to the remuage (riddling) stage, in which the sediment is gradually concentrated in the neck of the bottle to facilitate its<\/p>\n

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5.Disgorgement and Wire Cage: Removing the Sediment and Securing the Cork<\/h2>\n

Disgorgement is the process by which the yeast sediment that has accumulated in the neck of the bottle after riddling is removed.<\/p>\n

In the usual procedure, the neck of the bottle is cooled to freeze the sediment. When the bottle is opened, the internal pressure expels the plug of ice containing the sediment, allowing it to be removed with minimal loss of cava.<\/p>\n

After disgorgement, dosage liqueur may be added to adjust the final sweetness level according to the style of the product. The bottle is then sealed with its definitive cork.<\/p>\n

To secure the closure, a wire cage is used. This metal device holds the cork in place at the neck of the bottle and prevents the internal pressure from accidentally forcing it out.<\/p>\n

The wire cage is therefore essential for the safety and preservation of cava until it is ready to be served.<\/p>\n

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6.From Base Wine to the Finished Bottle<\/h2>\n

Blending, the traditional method, yeast activity, ageing on the lees in rima, disgorgement and the wire cage are all part of the essential vocabulary needed to understand how cava is produced.<\/p>\n

Each term describes a specific operation, a biological process or a particular component that contributes to shaping the final product. Understanding their meaning allows us to better appreciate the work carried out in the winery and understand why cava production requires precision, experience and time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Behind every bottle of cava lies a production process in which each stage has its own purpose and takes a certain amount of time. From blending the base wines to the moment the bottle is ready to leave the winery, a series of traditional techniques determine the character and quality of the final product. Understanding… Read More »Six terms for understanding how Cava is made<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":138361,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":70,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","neve_meta_reading_time":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[398],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-145378","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145378","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=145378"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145378\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":145394,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/145378\/revisions\/145394"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138361"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=145378"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=145378"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/castelldor.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=145378"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}