Cava, champagne, prosecco... The difference in name lies in the origin of the grape used to make the drink.
The same drink and different varieties
If you do not understand much about sparkling wines, it is possible that when you want to have a glass, you doubt about which variety to order, because there are quite a few: Brut, Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Extra Sec, Sec, Demi-Sec and Sweet.
The difference between varieties lies in the amount of sugar contained in the drink:
Between 0 and 3 grams of sugar per liter.
It has a maximum of 6 grams of sugar per liter.
It has up to 12 grams of sugar per liter.
Extra Sec
Between 12 and 17 grams of sugar per liter.
Between 17 and 32 grams of sugar per liter.
Semi Seco
It can contain between 32 and 50 grams of sugar per liter.
This variety contains more than 50 grams of sugar per liter.
The Brut Nature and Extra Brut varieties are considered the purest, since no sugar is added after disgorging. As it is a drink with less sweetness, the highest quality grapes are usually used for its production.
All cavas made in Spain are of the highest quality. The choice between one variety or another really depends on consumer tastes. If you are looking for a sweeter sparkling wine, you will surely like Brut cava more, such as Anna de Codorníu Blanc de Blancs Reserva, which has just the right amount of sweetness. On the contrary, if you want a drink a bit more bitter, but without exaggeration, you will love Extra Brut, like Mont-Ferrant Gran Cuvée. And if what you want is to fully enjoy the flavor of cava, then opt for a Brut Nature, such as Parxet Brut Nature cava.
The cava maturation process also influences its flavor
If you try two brands of cava of the same variety, you will notice that the taste is different. This is because taste not only depends on the type of grapes used and the added sugar, but it is also influenced by the maturation process of the sparkling wine.
Sparkling wine yeast
Bruts tend to be yeast wines that have undergone a long fermentation process, with at least a year of fermenting with yeasts.
In fact, within the Brut Nature, Extra Brut and Brut varieties you can find sparkling wines within the Gran Reserva category. They receive this name when their maturation process has exceeded 30 months.
In very exceptional cases there are sparkling wines that can be aged for several decades, up to 30 years, being these some of the most valued.
Fruity sparkling wines
The varieties of cava that carry more sugar have a much shorter aging process, of a few months. The result is a sparkling wine with a fruitier and sweeter flavor.