The word “cava” comes from the Catalan language, spoken in the Catalonia region of Spain, where Cava is primarily produced. “Cava” means “cellar” or “cave” in Catalan, which refers to the traditional method of aging the wine in underground caves or cellars.
The use of this term also reflects that Cava is a wine typically produced in large quantities, and the underground cellars provide ample space for aging and storage.
The name “Cava” was officially recognized by Spanish law in 1970 and is reserved exclusively for Spanish sparkling wines produced using the traditional method.