Cava is the sparkling wine traditionally used for the midnight toast in Spain's New Year's Eve celebration.
Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine made under a protected designation of origin. It is produced mainly in Catalonia, especially around the Penedès area, and is made using the traditional method in which the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. This gives the wine its characteristic bubbles and links it to the production style used for Champagne.
At midnight, many Spanish households toast with Cava while also eating the traditional twelve grapes, one for each clock chime. The pairing is a modern festive custom rather than a requirement of the wine's designation.
Cava is not the same as Champagne, which must come from France's Champagne region and follow that region's rules. Rioja is a famous Spanish wine region, but its best-known wines are generally still red wines rather than sparkling Cava.