Cava:

"Cava" is a sparkling wine obtained using the traditional method employed by the wines from the Champagne region in France.

Both the growth and elaboration of Spanish sparkling wine (cava) is concentrated almost totally - 99% - in Catalunya, mainly in the Pened�s locality. The classic varietals used in the making of cava are the Catalan macabeo - the first to ripen and provides the cava with colour and delicate aromas - xarel-lo - which compensates the lack of acidity and alcohol content - and parellada - which lends elegance and harmony to the wine. The secondary varietals monastrell and garnacha also intervene, as well as the French grapes chardonnay and pinot noir.

There are six types of cava, depending on their sugar content: dulce, semiseco, seco, extraseco - all of them with a sugar content which varies between 50 grams per litre for dulce and 12-20 grams in extraseco - highlighting the Brut, with a sugar content of 0 to 15 grams per litre and Extra Brut (Brut nature), with less than 6 grams.

Minimum alcohol centent for cava is between 10,8 and 12,8 %.

Cava should be served cold, between 6 and 8 degrees centigrade.
D.O. Jerez (Xerez):

The permitted varietals are the white palomino fino (list�n), palomino de jerez and Pedro Xim�nez.

Of the wines which are produced under the D.O. Jerez, fino (dry sherry) is the most representative. It is pale straw coloured, with a delicate crisp aroma (nutty), a bitter taste (a hint of almond), dry and light on the palate and persistent.

Sherry is aged by an traditional biological system in which the natural yeast of the Palomino grape forms a veil of growing yeast or "flor" that isolates the wine from the air and uses the system called �criaderas y solera or a�adas�, which takes at least three years.

Alcohol content varies between 15�5 and 17% vol. It is ideal served cold, as an aperitif.


Xerez Brandy:

Most of the brandy made in Spain comes from Jerez(Xerez). Evidence of production dates back to the end of the 16th century, although it is not until the end of the last century, after significant improvements in the way it was made, that it was to become famous in the European market.

The basis of the process is the white grape variety known as airen and it is used to produce a highly acid wine which is then distilled to obtain a wine spirit with 65� alcohol content. This is the point when ageing begins, during which time the alcohol content of the resulting spirit begins to fall and it starts to take on the colour and nose of the tannins in the wooden barrels.

The label carries the name �solera� on brandies with a minimum ageing of six months, �solera reserva� on those with one year�s ageing and �solera gran reserva� for those which have been aged for more than three years.

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