🍷 Codorníu Benjamin

Codorníu Benjamin is a Cava PDO quality sparkling wine from the house Codorníu of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia.

According to the house, the grape varieties are Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada; the sugar term is Brut, which under the Cava rules means under 12 g of sugar per litre; bottle sizes: 0.2 l.

Codorníu is a cava house in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia (Catalonia) dating from 1551; according to the house, the first Spanish cava was made here in 1872.

Cava is a protected designation of origin (PDO) of Spain for quality sparkling wine made by the traditional method: the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, and the wine spends at least nine months on its lees in that same bottle. Cava may be white or rosé. The area covers municipalities in the provinces of Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, Tarragona, Álava, La Rioja, Navarre, Zaragoza, Badajoz and Valencia, grouped into four zones: Comtats de Barcelona, Valle del Ebro, Viñedos de Almendralejo and Requena. Nine varieties are allowed: Macabeo (Viura), Xarel·lo, Parellada, Chardonnay, Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Pinot Noir, Trepat and Subirat Parent. Yields may not exceed 12,000 kg of grapes per hectare, only the first pressing may be used for the base wine (at most 1 hl from 150 kg), and for rosé Cava at least 25 % of the grapes must be red varieties. Finished Cava has between 10.8 and 12.8 % alcohol.

Cava’s ageing is shown on the label by separate terms, counted from tirage (bottling with yeast for the second fermentation) to disgorgement: Guarda means at least 9 months, Reserva 18, Gran Reserva 30 and Paraje Calificado 36. For Reserva, Gran Reserva and Paraje Calificado the grapes must come from vineyards at least 10 years old that are certified organic, and the harvest year must appear on the label. Sugar content is labelled as follows: Brut Nature — under 3 g/l with no added sugar, Extra Brut — up to 6 g/l, Brut — under 12 g/l, Extra Seco — 12–17 g/l, Seco — 17–32 g/l, Semiseco — 32–50 g/l, Dulce — over 50 g/l.

Under EU rules, a sparkling wine label must show the designation of origin, the actual alcoholic strength, the sugar-content term, allergens such as sulphites, and the bottler. The Cava rules add that the cork must bear the word CAVA and the bottler’s number, the bottle must carry a control mark, and the brand must be a registered trademark.

Why it matters to you. The word Cava on the label means the traditional method and at least nine months on the lees; the terms Reserva or Gran Reserva tell you about longer ageing, and the sugar term tells you how dry or sweet the wine is. The WHO reminds: there is no safe level of alcohol.