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 Although champagne and Cava are produced using the more expensive process by inducing second fermentation and ageing on the lees in the bottle, Prosecco uses the cheaper method of fermentation in the tank using shorter ageing for ageing. The global and Indian market has now taken a shine to the lighter and cheaper Italian bubbly, overshadowing both the Champagne and Cava despite their renewed attempts to gain back some of the lost market share.
Cava gained 1.1% in sales for exports, reaching 159 million bottles even though the Spanish market decreased by 0.8% at 86 million bottles, making the total sales at 245 million bottles last year. In comparison, Prosecco crossed 500 million-bottle mark last year with the champagne steady at 330-335 million. If the current trends continue, Prosecco will carve out a nice niche for itself and beat both the champagne and Cava combined sales in a couple of years, thanks to the extended DOC area and the staggering demand in the expanding sparkling wine market.
Cava’s growth in 2016 was a modest 9% over the 2007-2016 period when the sales increased by 20 million bottles, with particular growth in France, Japan, USA, The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland over this period. During this time, sales dropped in Germany (30.7%), United Kingdom (18%) and Switzerland (16.3%).
In 2016 the premium segment grew up to 29.5 million bottles, representing 12% of total cava sales. This has been supported by the launch last year of single estate classification- – Cava del Paraje-produced to very strict criteria. Traditional Cavas increased their sales by 0.4% in 2016, reaching 215.6 million bottles, at 88% of call Cava sales. Cava is now considered, in export terms, as the first Spanish Designation of Origin (DO) and also in the world using the traditional method.”
Slips and Skids in India
 In India, the sales of Cava is made through Aspri Spirits which focuses on the budget category Freixenet whereas the Wine Park focuses on the premium segment through Gramona. Prestige Wines, a JV of Torres with Thapar group, has its Principals Torres produce sparkling wine in Spain but does not import it or any other Cava, but focuses on Prosecco which is increasing in share every year. Every importer seeks to represent at least one Prosecco, with Aspri and Brindco having even two labels, though in different price and quality segments.
The biggest importer Brindco with Ti Amo DOC Prosecco outsells all the Cavas in India-and this when it has other brands of Prosecco in its portfolio as well. It used to import Cavas Codorniu years ago, but not anymore. Similarly Hema Connoisseur is experiencing a steady growth of 10-15% for the last 3-4 years with the well-priced Prosecco from San Simone. Hema is not considering imports of Cava.
Vishal Kadakia of the Wine Park says, ‘although Gramona is considered one of the finest Cavas of Spain, people in India do not appreciate the fact that sparkling wines get better with ageing on the lees’. His III Lustros is a fine Cava with seven years on the lees and is considered one of the finest in the world but Indians do not appreciate this feature of a fine cava.
But it appears both Cava and Prosecco have a new rival in India-the Indian Chandon from Moet and Hennessey India. Vishal also attributes the resistance to the new found love Indians have for Chandon. Piggy back riding on the Champagne parent Moet Hennessey, there is a universal appeal for Chandon which is considered the best available sparkling wine-as good as champagne but at less than a fourth of the price.
 Both Arun Kumar and Vishal Kadakia also rue the ignorance of the wine drinkers about Cava- the Spanish ‘champagne’ as was known in the previous century. Although Freixenet was imported by Global Tax Free over a dozen years ago and because of its low price and the absence of good Indian sparkling wine-Prosecco was not even heard of then, they did a good promotion but when the contract was terminated, no other importer really embraced the Spanish bubbly. We have to convince the hoteliers and consumers that Cava is a complex wine made in the traditional champagne making process. But there are few takers, especially after the cheaper Prosecco started ruling the roost,’ is the gist of what both of them say.
Cava might be a steady third globally, but in India it has unfortunately been kicked out of the podium-for now. One hope there will be efforts made by Cava producers and the importers to push it a bit. For the novices, it is a cheaper alternative to champagne-even with different terroir nad the grapes used.
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Subhash Arora |