Cavas are divided into the following classes according to their sugar content:

The Solera process is used in Jerez with the aim of producing sherries of consistent quality. Sherries from different vintages are blended to avoid the vintage-specific characteristics of a wine coming into play. In the Solera process, barrels are stacked on top of each other. The number of layers can vary depending on the style of wine. Amontillados and Olorosos have a higher average age than Finos or Manzanillas and therefore require more stages than the latter. In this process, a quantity approved by the control authority is removed from the barrels every year, filled and placed on the market. The quantity removed must be replenished from the layers above. In this way it is ensured that there is always a residual amount of the originally bottled wine in a Solera. Soleras are the barrels that are located at the bottom. The rows of barrels above are called Criaderas.

A Cava Dulce contains more than 50gr. Sugarper liter.

Natural wines are those wines that are produced with as little human intervention as possible. When producing natural wines, as few additives as possible, such as SO2, should be used and oenological processes such as temperature control during fermentation, clarification or general fining of the wine should be avoided. There are no uniform processes for producing natural wine. Some winemakers use SO2 as an additive, others do not. For this and other reasons, the use of the term natural wine is controversial (see also Orange Wine).

Orange wine refers to wines that are produced using the production process of red wines and which have an orange color due to this production process. In this production process, the must is fermented over the skins and seeds (often destemmed) of the white wine grapes. Due to the long contact with the peel, not only phenols and aromatic substances from the peel are extracted, but also dyes that give the wine its orange ferns. Due to the low human intervention, this production process is often associated with natural wine.

A CavaSemi-Seco is the second sweetest Cava class with a sugar content of 33 - 50gr per liter.

VORS is the Latin abbreviation for Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum. These wines are particularly old sherries, usually over 30 years old, which have been certified by the Control Council because they have matured for 30 years. This designation was introduced in 2000 for wines with exceptional character. Since these wines are made using the solera process, 30 years is an average age. An exact age statement is not possible for these wines. The name VORS also stands for “Very Old Rare Sherry”. S. also VOS

A Brut contains up to 15 grams of sugar per litre

The storage time of sherry depends on the production method. A fino or manzanilla that has matured under a layer of yeast (flor), separated from atmospheric oxygen, should be drunk within a few days. Opened sherries that have already been exposed to atmospheric oxygen can be kept for up to 3 months.

Brut Extra contains up to 6 grams of sugar per litre. It is therefore a little sweeter than Brut Nature.

A cava is a sparkling wine that is produced using the traditional method, like champagne. Only wines that are produced in the DO Cava in accordance with the DO regulations may be called Cava. This means that only certain indigenous grape varieties such as Xarel-Lo, Parellada and Macabeo may be used, as well as some others such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Malvasia. The regulatory authority also imposes requirements regarding the ageing of the wines in the bottle and other procedures, not all of which can be listed here. The DO Cava includes the following regions: Penedés, as the largest and most important zone, Aragon, Castilla-Leon, La Rioja, Basque Country (País Vasco), Navarra, Valencia and Extremadura. Although Cava is produced using the so-called Champagne method, it cannot be called Champagne as this is a protected term. Only sparkling wines produced according to the traditional method in Champagne are allowed to call themselves champagne. As the sparkling wine is usually stored underground, the name Cava has been agreed upon, which translates as cave.

A red Gran Reserva must be matured for at least 18 months in wooden barrels and 42 months in the bottle. The total ageing period is therefore 60 months. A white Gran Reserva must mature for a total of 48 months, including 6 months in wooden barrels. White Gran Reservas are extremely rare.

Similar to the term VORS for Vinum Optimum Rare Signatum, VOS stands for Vinum Optimum Signatum or Very Old Sherry for wines that have an average age of at least 20 years.

A red Reserva must mature for at least 12 months in barriques and then 24 months in the bottle. It may not be placed on the market before 36 months have elapsed. White Reservas must be matured in barriques for 6 months before being bottled. They may not be placed on the market before 24 months have elapsed.

A Cava Brut Nature is the Cava with the lowest sugar content of 3 grams of sugar per litre.

Cava with the Seco classification may contain between 17 and 35 grams of sugar per litre. This corresponds roughly to the German classification of "dry wine".

The term Crianza can have two meanings: 1) It is the Spanish term for the process of ageing wines. 2) It refers to the youngest category of barrel-aged wines. Red wines must be aged for at least 2 years before they are ready for the market. They are matured for 6 or 12 months in barriques. The prescribed duration is usually 6 months. In some appellations, such as La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro and Penedés, 12 months is mandatory. After barrel ageing, the wines are stored in the bottle for a further 12 or 18 months until they are released onto the market. A minimum ageing period of 12 months applies to white wines, of which 6 months is in the barrel and 6 months in the bottle.

Cava is produced using the Champagne method, also known as the Méthode Champenoise or traditional method, and requires a double fermentation. The first alcoholic fermentation is usually carried out in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with the second fermentation taking place over yeast in the bottle. The base wine is bottled, to which white wine, sugar and yeast (tirage liqueur) are added. After fermentation, disgorgement takes place, whereby the yeast is removed and the loss is replaced by Liqueur d'Expedition.

A Cava Extra Seco is a Cava with a sugar content of between 12 and 20 grams of sugar.

In 1879, Josep Raventós (Codorníu) launched the Spanish sparkling wine on the market and named it "Champagne" after the French model. However, a new name had to be found in 1986, as the protected name Champagne could only be used for sparkling wines from the Champagne region that were produced using the traditional method. Sparkling wines are usually stored underground, as this storage method offers them the best climatic conditions, and these underground cellars or vaults are called cavas, so it was decided to call these Spanish sparkling wines, which are produced using the traditional method, cava.

Oleic acid makes up approximately 98% of the composition of extra virgin olive oil and is in the form of triglycerides, which is a triple fatty acid compound with glycerin. Oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid and has the following properties: Protection of the gastric mucosa, reduction of the secretion of hydrochloric acid and reduction of the risk of stomach ulcers Limiting the secretory activities of the pancreas and bile and preventing the formation of gallstones Facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and calcium Oxidation protection Sterols Reduction in the concentration of bad cholesterol (LDL) alpha-tocopherols (vitamin E) Protection of olive oil and strengthening of the immune system. Antioxidant that protects against aging, degenerative diseases and cancer. Hydrocarbons (squalene) Protection of olive oil, strengthening the immune system, reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) and protecting against cancer. Polyphenols antioxidant effect Anti-inflammatory effect Protection of the cardiovascular system positive effect on the immune system positive effect on the central nervous system Protection against cancer Polyphenols are mainly found in unripe (green) fruits and are responsible for the sharp and bitter taste.

There are 3 categories of qualities that are authorised for human consumption: Extra virgin olive oil: the highest quality grade Virgin olive oil: medium quality grade Olive oil: the lowest quality authorised for human consumption