Pares Balta Brut Cava

Cava is Spain’s iconic sparkling wine style, and the Iberian Peninsula’s answer to Champagne. The traditional grape varieties used in Cava were Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, but the Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also now being used. Cava Blend is a term used to describe the composition of the iconic sparkling wines of Spain. This blend is principally made up of three grape varieties: Macabeo (often written Macabeu), Xarel-lo and Parellada. Good-quality Cavas are known for their well-integrated autolytic characteristics of toast, cream and secondary nut (almond) flavors. Wines with higher Pinot Noir content may show more cherry and berry flavors, while more traditional blends display green apple, peach and even earthy notes.

A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.