Cava is the Spanish sparkling wine traditionally made by secondary fermentation in the bottle.
The traditional method means that a second fermentation occurs inside the bottle, creating the wine’s bubbles. Cava is primarily associated with Catalonia, especially the Penedès area, although production is permitted in several Spanish regions. The wine can be white or rosé.
Traditional Cava grapes include Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel·lo. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also permitted in some styles. The name Cava is a protected designation of origin, and bottles must meet rules covering production, grapes, and aging.
Cava is often compared with Champagne because both use bottle fermentation, but they are different protected wine categories from different countries. Prosecco generally uses the tank method, in which the second fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank rather than in each individual bottle.