International launch of Cava de Paraje Calificado in London

I was delighted to have been invited to the international launch of the all new Cava high quality classification that is Cava de Paraje Calificado. The Gherkin has held a few amazing tastings and launch events that I have attended in the past so myself along with several other top industry wine professionals gathered both excited and with great anticipation downstairs in the reception of this great iconic building in the City of London.

I would say that Cava, though a very fine and unique tasting sparkling wine, has not claimed the kind of romantic neither sexy place in the UK market that both Champagne, and more recently, Prosecco have done. It is still a mystery drink for many, you have to know of it to order it kind of bubbly, though I can say from visiting some of the wineries in the region that it holds both a great history and many great flavours and this very night of the launch of Cava de Paraje in London we were really thrown in at the deep end of fantastic tasting Cavas.

On the evening it was clear we were tasting fine wines and the kind of flavours and intensity that you relish from Cava, plenty of ripe orchid fruits, slight spices, citrus, refreshing, hints of golden honey and much more…

Quotes on the evening from the guest speakers and producers included “For many years Cava was a very good wine, but many people were not giving it enough attention“, “… The terrior only expresses itself after a long period of ageing and only after a traditional method of production… ” & “Cava is known to many as the medium sector price range of sparkling wines, with the new Cava de Paraje with now have the premium sector to offer.”

Cava needs a really good marketing drive to make the necessary entrenchment within the industry for the position that it deserves – More people, both consumers and the industry, need to discover the quality Cava that is available today. The event at the Gherkin was certainly a both busy and engaging evening and certainly memorable – We need more of these going forward and in my mind much more attention towards pairing great Cava with fine foods which these wines will certainly get on to many gastronomical wine lists with ease.