Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) aroma: composition and determination methods

Abstract

Cava (Spanish sparkling wine) is one of the most important quality sparkling wines in Europe. It is produced by the traditional method in which a base wine is re-fermented and aged in the same bottle that reaches the consumer. The special ageing in contact with lees gives the cava a particular bouquet with toasty, sweet or lactic notes. These nuances could be related with the chemical composition of aroma. The methods required to analyze the flavor of cava are revised. Three approaches are necessary to obtain a wider profile: chemical, olfactometric and sensory.