A family-owned premium Cava producer headquartered in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Catalonia, Juvé & Camps has a history that dates back to 1921, when it was founded by Joan Juvé Baqués and Teresa Camps Ferrer. The family’s history as viticulturists stretches back over 200 years, contributing to its expertise and reputation. Today, it cultivates over 271 hectares of vineyards while also sourcing grapes from other local growers.
The first impression upon arrival is one of quiet elegance, where history and modernity intersect. The cellar building, with its stone façade and clean lines, reflects a long-standing tradition, while the interior exudes warmth and style. The spacious lobby features stained glass windows that echo traditional Spanish craftsmanship, allowing natural light to flood the space and create a welcoming ambiance.
Situated just a few kilometres away, the lookout tower at the Propietat d'Espiells estate offers views that stretch over the surrounding vineyards towards the jagged peaks of Montserrat. These mountains both dominate and shelter the landscape, creating a serene backdrop for the winery. It is from this estate that its Cava de Paraje Calificado is produced.
Quiet elegance, where history and modernity intersect.
A legacy led by women
As with many estates in the region, the role of women behind the scenes is evident. We were warmly welcomed by Ana López-Cano, communications director, and Ana Casabona, sommelier, along with a gracious introduction from Joan Juvé Santacana, the president of Juvé & Camps.
The company’s leadership has long been shaped by the contributions of women, starting with Teresa. While Meritxell Lluveno, the current fourth-generation CEO, is the first female CEO to be visibly leading the winery, her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother had been guiding the winery from behind the scenes long before her tenure. As Ana López-Cano mentioned during the visit:
"Meritxell always says, 'I’m the first one visible, but not the first one leading the winery.' The women in the family were always guiding it from the shadows, and I’m continuing that legacy, bringing their vision into today’s world."
This generational shift, now in its visible form, has helped steer Juvé & Camps towards ecological farming practices and, since 2015, 100% of its vineyards are fully organic.
Winemaking process
Juvé & Camps focuses on hand-harvesting, primarily using the traditional Cava varieties – Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada – with more recent experimentation with Pinot Noir. The winery also produces single-vineyard Cavas, including its signature Millesime and Gran Reserva ranges.
The base wines undergo fermentation at a facility located four kilometres from the winery. The second fermentation occurs in its historic cellars beneath Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, where the wines age on lees. Its approach emphasises long ageing, with the youngest Cava maturing for a minimum of 12 months, while Gran Reserva Cavas often age for 36 months and beyond, with some bottles resting for up to nine years. Malolactic fermentation is employed for all of its Cavas.
While the base wines are fresh and clean, Ana López-Cano explains:
"Our base wines are never meant to be aromatic or full-bodied. They are the foundation, with all the complexity developing during the long ageing process on lees."
With a production of around 2.5 million bottles annually, Juvé & Camps represents approximately 1% of total Cava production. However, it accounts for nearly 35% of all Cavas in the Grand Reserva category. Ana stresses that the focus is not on quantity but on creating wines of character, precision, and longevity. The team utilises the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strain, carefully selected for its contribution to reliable, long, slow fermentations, further enhancing the texture and complexity of its Cavas.
Highlights of the tasting:
Essential Pinot Noir
A 12-month aged Cava made from 100% Pinot Noir, this wine is light, fresh, and clean, showcasing crunchy red fruit paired citrus notes with small, well integrated bubbles. This is the winery’s youngest Cava and spends on average 12 months in the bottle.
Even though youthful, it still stands up beautifully to lighter fare like prosciutto, where the wine’s fruity and round acidity cuts through the richness of the cured meat.
Gran Reserva 2019
This Brut Nature Cava is a blend of Xarel·lo, Macabeo, and Parellada, aged for 36 months on lees. It presents complex, earthy aromas and rubber, smoke, with an autolytic character. Broad on the palate it has a zingy salinity that dances on the finish. Its savoury, balanced profile is ideal for pairing with food, cutting through rich dishes like steak.
Millesime 2020 Brut
A Blanc de Noirs Cava made from 100% Pinot Noir, this wine offers aromas of lemon peel, red apple, and cranberry, with toast, bread, and vanilla notes. The pithy texture and creamy mousse make it a rich yet balanced Cava that pairs beautifully with food.
Gran Juvé 2011
One of the highlights of the tasting, this 100% Xarel·lo wine from a single vineyard was aged for over eight years. Smoky and intense, it offers aromas of fennel, honey, and olives with a textured palate and a creamy mousse.
The wines are imported and sold in the UK through Bibendum which is a part of C&C Group which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about Bibendum click here.
