D.O. CAVA Strengthens Its Quality Pyramid with New Integral Producers and Five New Cavas de Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado

Four family wineries join the Integral Producer seal, while five Cavas reach the pinnacle Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado category

NEW YORK, March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The D.O. CAVA continues to reinforce its commitment to quality, authenticity and traceability with two significant milestones: the addition of four new wineries to the Integral Producer seal, and the ratification of five new Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado Cavas, the highest qualitative distinction within the denomination.

Celler Eudald Massana in Sant Pau d'Ordal (Subirats), Cavas Bolet from the Mas Lluet estate (Castellví de la Marca), Torrens Moliner from Finca Heretat (La Fortesa), and Rovellats, in Sant Martí Sarroca, have become the newest Integral Producers of the D.O. CAVA. With these four additions, all family-owned, the select group now totals 19 wineries, with additional producers currently undergoing the official auditing process and expected to join in 2026.

The Integral Producer seal identifies those wineries of the D.O. CAVA that carry out the entire Cava production process on their own property, producing 100% of their base wines and bottling their Cavas in their own facilities, with strict control of every stage from grape pressing to final disgorgement.

According to D.O. CAVA President Javier Pagés, the new additions demonstrate the sector's commitment to excellence: "Integral Producer Cavas help elevate the prestige of the sector. Beyond its technical aspects, the seal reflects a way of working and understanding wine,  a commitment to traceability and consistency." Pagés also notes that the strict controls of the denomination ensure full traceability of the Cava's origin and that the D.O. CAVA regulations are "among the most demanding in the world."

For the wineries themselves, the recognition reflects their longstanding commitment to estate-driven production and deep ties to their land.

Xavier Bolet, oenologist and winegrower at Cavas Bolet, explains that "the seal of Integral Producer represents a mark of identity for us, since we have produced Cava with our own grapes from the beginning. With this seal, our care for the land is reflected in our Cavas and shared through wine tourism."

Alongside this expansion of the Integral Producer category, the D.O. CAVA has also strengthened the highest tier of its quality pyramid with the approval of five new Cavas de Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado following ratification by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and publication in the Official State Gazette. With these additions, the prestigious category now totals 15 Cavas, representing the most singular expressions of the Cava territory.

The new Cavas de Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado include three new additions from Sumarroca in El Rebato (Subirats): Núria Claverol Allier Finca Cols, Núria Claverol Homenatge Finca Peretes, and Núria Claverol Blanc de Noirs Finca Rosendo; L'Era del Celdoni by Carles Andreu in Pira (Conca de Barberà); and Blanc de Negres from Vins El Cep, produced from a Pinot Noir vineyard on the Can Prats estate in Espiells. At the same time, the Vallcirera estate of Art Laietà d'Alta Alella has been expanded.

These wines successfully met strict regulatory requirements and were validated by a high-level tasting panel including Masters of Wine Pedro Ballesteros, Almudena Alberca and David Forer, as well as journalist and sommelier Ramon Francàs, together with the technical leadership of the D.O. CAVA.

A Cava de Guarda Superior Paraje Calificado is the highest distinction within the denomination and is reserved for sparkling wines from a single estate with exceptional soil and microclimate characteristics.

These wines represent the most demanding and distinctive expression of the territory and must meet rigorous criteria including vineyards over ten years old, hand harvesting, limited yields to 8.000Kg/ha, vinification on the estate, and a minimum aging period of 36 months. They must also be vinified exclusively as Brut Nature, Extra Brut or Brut and 100% organically produced.

Pagés celebrated the continued growth of the category, noting that several wineries have already begun the process to join this select group. "These recognitions reinforce our commitment to enhancing the prestige of Cava with products of unquestionable quality," he said.

D.O. CAVA
With more than 70% of international sales, Cava is the Spanish D.O. with the highest exports. The Cava industry has over 38,000 hectares of vineyards and more than 6,200 winegrowers, and its 349 associated wineries are present in more than 100 countries. Cava, which pairs harmoniously with every type of gastronomy, is made using the traditional method, with a strict commitment to origin, land and sustainability.

SOURCE DO Cava