{"id":13847,"date":"2016-11-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-11-19T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.invinic.com\/why-are-cava-prices-so-much-lower-than-champagne"},"modified":"2017-10-05T14:44:34","modified_gmt":"2017-10-05T12:44:34","slug":"why-are-cava-prices-so-much-lower-than-champagne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.invinic.com\/en\/why-are-cava-prices-so-much-lower-than-champagne","title":{"rendered":"Why are Cava prices so much lower than Champagne?"},"content":{"rendered":"
We love sparkling wine. Whether that\u2019s Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Franciacorta, a Cr\u00e9mant de Bordeaux, Burgundy or Loire – whatever! The <\/span>Champagne bucket<\/span><\/a>, the sound of popping corks, the sight and fizzle of fine bubbles, the tingling acidity on the tongue: What\u2019s not to like? <\/span><\/p>\n Well, the price tag for one. Champagne is great, but it\u2019s not cheap. Seriously. By comparison, Cava prices are considerably lower. This can seem curious, as in a lot of ways good Champagne and good Cava can seem very similar indeed<\/a>. So, how do we explain the difference between Cava prices and Champagne prices?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Prices will obviously vary from one Cava to another and between different Champagne labels<\/a>. There is no fixed price for a bottle of Champagne or Cava in a restaurant or online, but there are guidelines for you to be aware of.<\/p>\n You can get a hold of a bottle of basic Cava for around \u20ac4 or \u20ac5, easily. The sweet spot is probably around \u20ac8 – \u20ac20, where you’re all but guaranteed a great bottle. At the higher end, Cava prices can reach the hundreds of euro, and these are very special bottles indeed.<\/li>\n Our cheapest Cava is Conde De Caralt Brut Nature<\/strong><\/a>, which comes in at just \u20ac3.90.<\/li>\n Mid-range Cava prices vary widely, but you rarely have to spend more than \u20ac20 to get a very good bottle. Llopart Imperial 2011<\/strong><\/a>, at just \u20ac15.95, is seriously well-priced when pit against Champagnes of a similar quality.<\/li>\n A seriously high-end bottle of Cava can cost just as much as Champagne. Our top example is\u00a0Recaredo Reserva Particular 2000<\/strong><\/a>, which we’ve got at \u20ac300.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n And how does Champagne fare, then?<\/p>\n It’s no secret that Champagne is more expensive than Cava. The cheapest Champagne you’re likely to find will still set you back at least \u20ac25-\u20ac30. For the most part these will non-vintage wines from lesser known names. For \u20ac50-\u20ac100 you can get non-vintage Champagnes from most of the top houses, as well as some vintage Champagnes and other special bottlings. From there, the sky’s the limit: You could easily spend hundreds, if not thousands, on a prestige cuv\u00e9e from a leading Champagne house.<\/li>\n “Low price Champagne” is a relative concept,\u00a0as it is still very expensive when compared to Cava prices. However, we’ve got a very respectable 91-point non-vintage Champagne, Baron Fuente Grande Reserve<\/strong><\/a>, for just \u20ac25.95!<\/li>\n There’s a wide range here, but you’ve got a lot of high-quality options. At \u20ac63.95, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs<\/strong><\/a> is a super bottle and illustrates the 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs style at a (relatively) affordable price.<\/li>\n Here’s where things can get expensive, and fast. It all depends on your budget and your taste, really. It’s all relative here. \u20ac150 for Dom P\u00e9rignon 2006<\/strong><\/a> might seem like a lot or a little, depending on who you ask. That’s got to seem positively cheap when compared with Louis Roederer Cristal 2000<\/strong><\/a> for \u20ac350, which is in turn dwarfed by Krug Clos de Mesnil 1996<\/strong><\/a> and its \u20ac1,995 price tag!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/p>\n Bottom line: Cava prices are a whole lot cheaper than Champagne! Why’s that, exactly?<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are a few important factors to keep in mind that can make all the difference when it comes to picking a Champagne or a Cava, and surprisingly \u201cquality\u201d isn\u2019t as big a difference as you might think!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Both Champagne and Cava come from grapes, and in some cases they come from the same grapes. So why the lower Cava prices? Essentially, it costs a lot more to grow grapes for <\/span>Champagne<\/span><\/a> than for Cava. For a start, the cost of land within the prestigious Champagne appellation is higher than ever. <\/span><\/p>\n To buy a hectare of land in the prestigious C\u00f4te des Blancs region will cost you around \u20ac1.8 million. In addition, there\u2019s less land to go around as the region is in such high demand. The cost of growing grapes, before even making the wine, is a serious factor influencing Champagne prices. <\/span><\/p>\n Difficult growing conditions in the Champagne region, when compared to the Cava D.O., are also a factor affecting overall yield of the grape crop.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While some Champagne growers do make their own wine, most sell their grapes to big Champagne houses, such as <\/span>Mo\u00ebt & Chandon<\/span><\/a>, that will actually produce and sell the wine. Making Champagne is an expensive and time-consuming process, involving a lot of labour and extended ageing. <\/span><\/p>\n Both Champagne and Cava are produced using the \u201ctraditional method\u201d, or \u201cmethode Champenoise\u201d, where the wine undergoes its secondary fermentation – and becomes sparkling – in the bottle. This is a marked difference from the cheaper \u201ctank method\u201d used in Prosecco. <\/span><\/p>\n Cava prices can stay lower in spite of this because the raw materials are cheaper, more processes are automated and there may be less expensive ageing techniques employed.<\/span><\/p>\nChampagne vs. Cava prices: What’s the difference?<\/h2>\n
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Cava prices:<\/h3>\n
Low:<\/h3>\n
Medium:<\/h3>\n
High:<\/h3>\n
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Champagne prices:<\/h3>\n
Low:<\/h3>\n
Medium:<\/h3>\n
High:<\/h3>\n
Why are Cava prices lower than Champagne prices?<\/h2>\n
Cost of growing grapes<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Cost of making wine<\/strong><\/h2>\n