Glassware

The flute may hold the bubbles together for a long time, but for a good Cava it's almost the wrong choice. It lacks the space needed for the aromas to gather, and with a long-aged Cava or Corpinnat, that aroma is really the whole point.

A tulip glass works better: narrow at the bottom like the flute, so the bubbles rise in a fine column. The shape makes the difference. It's a bit rounder in the middle, then narrows again at the top. The rounded part collects the aromas built up over eighteen months or more on the lees — brioche, toasted almond, a hint of toasted bread. Only then do they rise concentrated through the narrow opening.

Temperature is where most mistakes happen, here too: six to eight degrees Celsius is right for a young, fresh Cava. A long-aged Corpinnat with pronounced lees character can handle eight to ten degrees, since too much cold simply masks its more complex notes. Taking the bottle out of the fridge fifteen minutes before serving is usually the right call.

A different rule applies to a still Xarel·lo. It doesn't need a narrow glass, but rather a medium-sized, slightly rounded one. That way, fennel, citrus, and the slightly salty note can unfold on the palate instead of being compressed in a tight glass.

And then there's the pour. A glass of Cava is never filled to the brim. Otherwise there's no room left for the aromas that are meant to gather above the bubbles. A finger's width of air at the top is enough to turn a simple sip into a full bouquet.