On July 12, join Spain and the world to toast International Cava Day and celebrate Spanish sparkling wine made in the traditional method from grapes indigenous to Iberia like Xarel·lo, Macabeo, Parellada. Cava comes in various styles from light, fresh and young perfect for tapas to older and more complex to pair with meals  to sweeter versions; basically there’s a Cava to go with every occasion and dish. D.O. Cava also has pairing ideas: check out this chart or use it in Cava cocktails like these as suggested by D.O. Cava.

Here’s another reason to celebrate Cava: there’s a good chance that the Cava in your glass is organic.

Even if it doesn’t say organic on the label, it probably was grown organically because Spain leads Europe in certified organic vineyards, and D.O. Cava’s climatic conditions make it easier to do organic viticulture. The category of organic Cava grew by almost 25% in 2024, and D.O. Cava reports Guarda Superior should be 100% organic by 2026. It’s easier under these conditions but it also takes a commitment to sustainability which D.O. Cava has made. Of 144 D.O. Cava wineries, 92 are listed as certified organic and eight are biodynamic. 

Producers say organic agriculture certification helps sell their Cavas; consumers choose sparkling wine based on the European Union’s organic certificate which guarantees that no chemicals have been used in the vineyard for the past three years or more. In addition to the E.U. certification, the Catalan Council for Organic Agricultural Production(CCPAE), grants a certificate to organic plant-based products grown without chemically-synthesised fertilisers or pesticides like fungicides, insecticides or herbicides. Read more about D.O. Cava sustainability here.

More good news: this year, D.O. Cava has a contest where you can win four bottles of Cava! More below!

While Cava is the name for traditional method sparkling wine from Spain, like Prosecco (sparkling wine made in Italy from the glera grape using the chart method), there’s different classifications to identify quality to consumers.

According to D.O. Cava, “Cava de Guarda Superior de Paraje Calificado represents the apex of the D.O. Cava classification framework.” All Guarda Superior wines are organically certified with vineyard practices closely monitored. To qualify as Cava de Guarda Superior de Paraje Calificado, wines must originate from a single, delimited vineyard (paraje), be produced from vineyards at least 10 years old, undergo a minimum of 36 months of aging on the lees, comply with 8,000 Kg maximum yield limits, be hand harvested, be vintage-dated, and meet full traceability requirements from vineyards to commercialization.” Ten Cavas have this designation currently, but two additional wineries with five new Cavas joined recently.  The D.O. Cava controls assist traceability of origin.

“While Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado wines represent a limited portion of total production, they illustrate the denomination’s broader evolution toward vineyard specificity, extended aging requirements, and estate accountability,” points out a press release from D.O. Cava representatives.

Over the years we’ve celebrated International Cava Day and written about Cava numerous times! I am so ready to get my Cava on and visit Spain in person! 

Here’s a few Cava and pairings we’ve written about in the past few years:

• Captivating Cava: Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia Brut Nature with grilled oysters and rockfish for #CAVADAY

• Sparkling Wine Secrets: Seek DO Cava and Pair with Spanish Pork Chops and Potatoes

• Sparkling Wine Secrets: Catalonia Cava from Marqués de Cáceres with Spanish Chorizo Kale Bean Stew #WorldWineTravel

• For a Sparkling Summer Surprise, Try Spain’s Biodynamic Raventos i Blanc with Anchovy Sammies #WinePW

• Take Your Sweetheart to Spain: Recipes, Pairings, Organic White and Sparkling Wines for Valentines

Fun fact: the word “cava” is a transliteration of a Catalunya word meaning “cellar” as in wine cellar. Catalunya is the part of Spain where most of the high quality Cava comes from.

So which Cava should I pair with tonight’s halibut? And maybe those arugula and anchovy sandwiches? And a ceasar salad?? I poked around my cellar; I thought I had a rose Cordoniu but guess I drank it! Instead found a bottle of Nuviana Dulce (meaning it is on the sweeter side), which is also from Cordoniu. So then I searched the samples and found a certified organic one which better fits the story I am telling: Vilarnau Brut Cava. We wrote about this wine three years ago so it’s time to visit again and what better day than International Cava Day! And a great way to close out Sparkling Wine Week!

NV Vilarnau Brut D.O. Cava, Barcelona, Spain 

ABV: 11.5
SRP: $16
Grapes: organic 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada, 15% Xarel.lo
Residual Sugar: 10 g/l
Importer:
sample for my review 

Grapes grow in a windy area in the municipality of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia in d’Espiells at a higher elevation bordered to the south by the coastal Serrelada mountains and to the north by the Montserrat mountains which provide an exceptional microclimate. Alluvial soils comprise three layers with clay and silt, then pebbles and loose stones, and at the bottom, fine sand that compacts down and is called “sauló”.

Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel.lo grapes are vinified separately, then combined.

Appearance:  Pale lemon, larger bubbles, platinum rim, nice and bubbly.

Aroma: Apples, apple strudel, brioche, sage, dusty, but mostly fresh apple.

Palate: Nice bubbles, sweet tart apple, fresh apple baked in pastry, salinity, sage, plum skin, lemon rind.

Pairing: Very good with the aged manchego as the wine tames the sharpness of the cheese making the wine and the cheese a perfect pairing. The wine handles the salty olives and both enhance each other well. We imagine this would be perfect with oysters. With the meal, it worked especially well with the soy marinated swordfish, less well with the lemon-garlic halibut. Fabulous with the ceasar salad with green olives and aged manchego shavings (who needs croutons?)  The bread with creme fraiche, tapenade, anchovies, and olives with arugula was insanely good but toasting the bread and some toasted walnuts for crunch would have been nice.

Now to choose which photos to submit to the Cava contest! And get it done before the July 16 deadline! Think I should submit one of those above? Which one? Which category?

• Cava & Spicy: Pair Cava with a spicy dish and share the experience
• Your Cava Moment: Capture and share your favourite way to enjoy Cava
• Brunch & Cava: Enjoy Cava as part of a brunch occasion.
• Cava & Mediterranean Vibes: Show how Cava complements Mediterranean food, lifestyle or scenery.
• Cava & Friends: Share a Cava moment with friends.
• Cava on a Rooftop: Enjoy and capture a Cava moment from a rooftop setting.
• Golden Hour & Cava: Celebrate golden hour with a glass of Cava.
• Celebrate Everyday with Cava: Turn an ordinary moment into a celebration with Cava.

D.O Cava Contest – International Cava Day

If you want to participate, you can find the basic rules below and complete rules here.

According to organizers, the challenge started Tuesday 1st July 2026 and ends Thursday 16th
July 2026 23:59 h. The winner will be announced Friday 17th July 2026 10:00 h (Time
zone (CET).

Rules
• Any natural person over 18 years of age may participate in this promotion.
• Promotion limited to one prize.
• Promotion valid both nationally and internationally, limited by shipping alcohol restrictions in
certain countries.

To participate:
● Follow the D.O. Cava Instagram account.
● Like the post on which challenge is announced.
● Publish content in the form of post, carousel or stories completing a minimum of 3 missions from
the Cava Versatility Passport; details here.
● Tag @cava.do in the content.
● Use the hashtags #CavaVersatilityPassport and #ICD2026

Participation requirements:
• Participants must complete and share at least 3 missions from the Cava Versatility Passport.
• Only missions included in the official passport are valid; no additional or self-created missions
will be accepted.
• Content must be shared in the form of post, carousel or stories, tagging @cava.do and using
the official hashtags #CavaVersatilityPassport and #ICD2026.

The winner will be selected randomly from eligible participants who have completed at least 3 official missions from the Cava Versatility Passport and have correctly shared their content.

The winner will be announced on 17th July 2026 10:00 h on the social media accounts of D.O. Cava.

All content submitted as part of the Cava Versatility Passport Challenge must be original and created by the participant.

The use of artificial intelligence tools to generate images or visual content is not permitted.

Any submitted material must reflect real, original photography or content created by the participant themselves.

There will be a total of 1 winner who will be awarded the following prize:
• A premium limited box of 4 Cavas. Shipment included*.
* Limited to alcohol restrictions in certain countries. This prize cannot be redeemed for its monetary
value.

The winner will be publicly announced on Instagram and D.O. Cava social media accounts. Besides,
D.O. Cava will contact the winner via Instagram DMs to request their contact details (name, surname,
email, telephone number, address). The winner will have a maximum of 7 calendar days to reply to the message from the promotion organiser.

And finally, just for fun, whenever I mentions Cava, my spouse says “Cava Cava” which never made much sense to me so I asked and he was quoting this 1970s commercial for Kava coffee –“Kappa Kava!”

What are your favorite pairings for organic Cava?