Ongoing drought reduces cava stock, prompting 15% price increases

The still ongoing drought in Catalonia has heavily affected the cava sparkling wine industry this year as the DO Cava region has had to reduce stock, prompting prices to increase between 10 and 15%.

DO Cava sold over 149 million bottles of sparkling wine between January and September—12.3% fewer than last year’s 170 million. Domestic sales in Spain fell by 3.7%, while international sales dropped 15.8%, driven by a sharp 55.1% decline in Germany.

"It is obvious there is a lack of stock at a time when sparkling wine such as cava has a large acceptance across worldwide consumers, Javier Pagés, DO Cava president, said in a statement on Wednesday after speaking to journalists.

"We will not run out of Cava. We must choose wisely how and where we sell cava," Pagés told media outlets in Barcelona. Earlier in 2024, cava and wine producers already feared this year's crop due to the drought.

"Fortunately, having fewer stocks has some positive aspects. With demand outpacing supply, prices have increased, adding extra value to the product," Pagés explained.

"For the last few years, we have been focusing on enhancing the value of our products," he added.

Looking ahead to 2025, DO Cava's president expects the situation to improve, beginning with the Christmas season and bolstered by recent rainfall in the Penedès region.

The El Penedès area between Barcelona and Tarragona has a special place in Catalonia’s long winemaking history, dating back over 2,000 years: it is the birthplace of Cava, the quintessential Catalan sparkling wine.

The first bottle of Cava was made by Josep Raventós of Codorníu, one of the world’s oldest wineries, 150 years ago, after a trip to France.