There are two phases to the winemaking process for making cava. The first is making the base wine, the second transforming the base wine into cava with the secondary fermentation in the bottle, ageing and disgorging: the traditional method for quality sparkling wines.

The base wine for cava is made from the white grape varieties Macabeu, Parellada, Pansa Blanca and Chardonnay and the red variety, Pinot Noir. The winemaking process is the same as that of making white wine, with a few specific characteristics.

During the vintage it is important to control carefully the sanitary state of the grapes and the ripeness parameters: principally acidity, pH and the sugar concentration. We need to find the ideal balance between the acidity and sugar content, especially when taking into account that the secondary fermentation will add around 1.4% to the alcohol content, and there must be sufficient acidity to guarantee the freshness of the wine throughout the ageing process. The soil of our vineyards is made up of Sauló, a degraded granite that is typical of the Alella region and amongst other qualities is very acidic, leading to grapes with a low pH.

The sanitary state of the grapes is also fundamental, as the final product will undergo two fermentations and a long ageing period. For this reason we use a selection table in the cellar's reception area to remove any substandard grapes.

We press the uncrushed grapes in a pneumatic press, despite the slight loss of yields, to ensure a minimal percentage of particles in suspension. We can therefore use a low temperature static decantation to avoid oxidation or an uncontrolled start to fermentation. The fermentation itself also takes place at low temperature and as a result, the wine largely clarifies itself during this lengthy process. Avoiding interventionist clarifications thereafter gives us a more complex base wine, more appropriate for making into sparkling wine.

To add the bubbles, we first mix the wine with yeasts and bottle it. The yeast will provoke the secondary fermentation in the bottle. It is important to balance the sugar content in the wine, and the amount of yeast added to obtain the right degree of fermentation and hence pressure in the cava. The bottles at this stage are sealed with a crown cap.

The ageing process is the period when the cava undergoes both physical / chemical changes as well as changes in aromatics and taste. The secondary fermentation generates alcohol (raising the level about 1.4% ) and Carbon Dioxide, creating an overpressure in the bottle. Moreover it generates other byproducts that affect the final flavour profile, like glycerol, diacetil (aromas of butter and hazelnuts) acetone (almonds). The acetates that give fruit flavours like banana and pear diminish in favour of ethyl esters (riper sweeter fruits). Fermentation takes between 20 and 30 days. The yeasts multiply until the pressure in the bottle reaches around 3 Bars. The position of the bottle during this phase is critical - only by keeping it perfectly horizontal can you achieve the total fermentation of the yeasts through the convection movements within the bottle.

At the end of the ageing period, the bottles must be clarified. This process known as riddling is a combination of rotation and the inclination of the bottle. We start with a cloudy horizontal bottle and gradually obtain a vertical bottle with all the sediment concentrated in the neck.

The disgorging process is when we  remove the yeasts from the neck of the bottle. As a general rule, the necks of the bottles are frozen, and when the crown cap is removed, the frozen yeasts are expelled by the pressure in the bottle. The bottle is then refilled and topped off with expedition liquor (which determines the degree of sweetness of the final product). Finally, the bottle is stopped with the traditional cork stopper and wire mesh, it is washed and labelled.