What does cava mean?
Cava is a sparkling wine from Spain, made using the same secondary-fermentation method employed for Champagne but from predominantly native Spanish grapes such as Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada. Production centres on the Penedès region of Catalonia, and the name comes from the Catalan word for a cellar or cave, a nod to the underground cellars where early bottles were aged and stored. Because it undergoes its second fermentation in the bottle, cava shares Champagne's fine bubbles and toasty character while usually costing considerably less, which has made it a popular choice for celebrations and everyday toasting alike. The term ranges in style from crisp brut to richer gran reservas, and quality can rival that of more famous sparklers. Separately, "cava" appears in anatomy as part of the phrase "vena cava," denoting one of the two great veins that return blood to the heart.
A Spanish sparkling wine made by the traditional method of secondary fermentation in the bottle, produced principally in Catalonia.
"She ordered a glass of cava to go with the tapas."
(In "vena cava") Either of two large veins, superior and inferior, that return deoxygenated blood from the body to the heart.
"Blood from the legs drains into the inferior vena cava before reaching the heart."
Used almost exclusively in the fixed anatomical phrases "superior vena cava" and "inferior vena cava."
Pluralized normally when referring to multiple bottles, styles, or brands; in the anatomical sense, Latin-style plurals such as "venae cavae" are used by convention.
"We sampled cavas from three different producers across the Penedès."
Cava gets its name not from the grape but from the cave-like cellars where it was first aged — the word literally means 'cellar' in Catalan.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cava
The wine name comes from Spanish and Catalan "cava," meaning "cellar" or "cave," ultimately from Latin "cavea" (hollow place, cage), the same root that gives English "cave" and "excavate." It was applied to the sparkling wine because early production relied on cool underground cellars for ageing. The anatomical term "vena cava" comes directly from Latin, meaning "hollow vein."
How cava is actually used
"Cava" as a drink is a common noun rather than a protected single-region name like Champagne, but EU law restricts it to wines produced by the traditional method within approved Spanish regions. In medical contexts it appears almost exclusively in the fixed phrases "superior vena cava" and "inferior vena cava."
Easily confused with cava
Champagne is the French sparkling wine from the Champagne region made only from permitted grapes there, whereas cava is its Spanish counterpart, typically made from indigenous grapes such as Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada.