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Although cava producers have been able to increase their export volume in recent years, they have also had to accept a drop in sales. The world market for sparkling wines has experienced spectacular growth since 2017: Prosecco achieved almost 57 percent and Champagne 17 percent more sales. Cava, on the other hand, recorded a decline of 1.1 per cent. Turnover fell by 4.1 million euros to 369 million euros.
According to the Spanish Wine Market Observatory, based on Spain's official export statistics, the global average price for a bottle of Champagne is 20 euros and that for Prosecco is 2.74 euros. Both are higher than the average of 2.05 euros for a bottle of Cava. If you gain in volume but lose in turnover, the interpretation is obvious: in the product mix, the cheaper range wins," commented Xavier Gramona, who runs the family winery of the same name.
Gramona left the umbrella of the Cava designation of origin three years ago and joined the new quality-oriented Corpinnat association.The estate owner denies that the spin-off of eleven wineries caused the drop in turnover. This is contradicted by the figures: Corpinnat made a turnover of 20.7 million euros in 2019 with 2.2 million bottles sold.
Javier Pagès, the president of the Control Board, explains that "Cava should focus on itself and not worry so much about what one or the other is doing. One of the challenges is to continue to add value".
The penetration of Prosecco into the Spanish market, among others with the Prosecco of the Cava giant Freixenet, does not worry the management of the Cava Regulatory Board for the time being. Javier Pagès emphasised: "Cava is very well established. If we were to sell something bad, there would be a risk that something would come from abroad that people would like better, but that is not the case".
(al / Source: El Pais; Photo: wikimedia, Torelló)
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