Cava sales declined last year for the second consecutive year, according to a report released Wednesday by the Cava Designation of Origin Regulatory Board. The total number of bottles sold fell by 12.88% year-on-year to 190 million. Revenue reached €2.048 billion, 10% less than in 2014. This drop is attributed to the drought, according to Javier Pagés, president of the Cava DO. "The decline is not due to a lack of demand, but rather a lack of product," he stated. This decrease stems primarily from exports, which fell by 18.68%. In the Spanish market, the reduction was much more moderate, at 2.48% in volume. It should be noted that of the 190 million bottles sold, 60% of the Cava was destined for export. The first market was Belgium, the second the United States, and the third the United Kingdom. Of all the cava sold in Spain, 33.7% was in Catalonia. Germany, traditionally the first or second largest market, fell to fifth place.

Barcelona Wine Week, the Spanish wine congress held annually in Barcelona, ​​will once again grow this year in terms of exhibitors, visitors, and square footage, organizers announced Wednesday. The sector is meeting at a time of challenges due to climate change, trade tensions between the European Union and the United States, and concerns about declining wine consumption worldwide. A total of 1,351 wineries from across Spain are registered, a 5% increase compared to last year. the 2025 edition and 880 international buyers, 14% more than the previous edition. The fair, which will be held next week from February 2nd to 4th, will occupy 10,900 square meters, 800 more than last year, at the Plaça d'Espanya venue of Fira de Barcelona. With 320 wineries present, Catalonia will be the autonomous community with the largest presence at the event, followed by Castile and León, La Rioja, and Castile-La Mancha.

Cava could do more to boost exports, especially from smaller wineries. "They're not interested in the international market," stated María Naranjo, director of the food industry at ICEX (the Spanish State Foreign Trade Agency), during the 2nd Cava Meeting, an international gathering organized by the Cava Designation of Origin (DO) in Avinyonet del Penedès (Alt Penedès) that brought together more than 100 wineries. Although 64% of Cava production was already destined for export in 2024, Naranjo perceives a "lack of international focus" among smaller wineries. ICEX considers two wines "iconic" in Spain, Sherry and Cava, and has specific projects to increase their visibility. In the case of Cava alone, Naranjo stated that ICEX has had to cancel scheduled activities due to a "lack of business interest" from the wineries invited to participate. These events were to be held in countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan, China, and the United States. Regarding the reasons, Naranjo admitted that small wineries "run out of time" trying to keep up with everything, but there are also solutions for developing an export-oriented approach, such as the one implemented in the Rías Baixas DO, where companies with international departments work for several wineries simultaneously. Only Cavas with superior aging potential—at least 18 months—participated in the Cava Meeting, and Naranjo added that, despite the existence of these wine "gems," wineries also "lack the confidence to venture abroad." The two souls of the DO

He president of the DO Cava, Javier PagésHe stated that abroad, "it's unacceptable that people say we haven't visited them," which he described as "unforgivable," and called for seizing the opportunity presented by the growing consumption of sparkling wines, which is bucking the general decline in wine sales. The meeting also highlighted the diverse perspectives within the Cava industry: while Luciano García-Carrión, owner of the group that produces Jaume Serra Cava, argued that selling more bottles is "the best scenario" for everyone in the sector, smaller wineries called for better differentiation between the various regions that make up the state-owned Cava region, as well as for longer aging processes.

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