Javier Pagés will continue to lead the Consell del Cava after obtaining the endorsement of the employer

If there is no unexpected last-minute twist, Javier Pagés will be re-elected on July 29, for a second four-year term as president of the Regulatory Council of the DO Cava.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
12 July 2022 Tuesday 13:18
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Javier Pagés will continue to lead the Consell del Cava after obtaining the endorsement of the employer

If there is no unexpected last-minute twist, Javier Pagés will be re-elected on July 29, for a second four-year term as president of the Regulatory Council of the DO Cava.

This Monday, within the framework of a meeting of the executive commission of the employers' association of the sector, Aecava, a unanimous endorsement was given by the processors to the continuity of Pagés, which clearly showed its intention to maintain independence (he was general director of Codorniu , but does not currently represent any firm in the sector) and the roadmap of the new strategic plan. This includes restrictive and qualitative measures, framed in a new segmentation and in the first cava zoning. All this betting on greater value and the most prestigious products.

Speaking to La Vanguardia, Pagés expressed his satisfaction with a guarantee that should allow "to continue revaluing cava together, and make it even bigger." The president of Aecava, Damià Deàs, defended "a continuous candidacy that would give us peace of mind to consolidate greater prestige and value in all the links in the sector".

Javier Pagés' position comes after fears of an involutionary drift due to Freixenet's declarations in favor of a relaxation of the rules in order to be able to produce more. The world leader in cava claims to make large-volume products more competitive. Both the vice president and CEO of Freixenet, Pere Ferrer, and Josep Palau, the vocal representative of the Segura Viudas cavas (of the Henkell Freixenet Group), participated in the unanimous decision made by the executive of the employers' association. In fact, Damià Deàs, Javier Pagés, the six new members of the Consell representing the winemakers and the cavista Josep Maria Pujol-Busquets took part in the meeting.

Jaume Domènech, from the agricultural union Joves Agricultors i Ramaders de Catalunya, who together with Unió de Pagesos and the Associació de Viticultors del Penedès have formed the joint candidacy Viticultors del Cava, said that today Pagés does not have his blank check. Despite this, he acknowledges that they could vote for him. Domènech stated that the new president must commit himself to continuing the work begun in the last legislature. This involves developing the strategic plan, working to raise the price of base wine and grapes, “total” transparency of the Regulatory Council and voluntary creation of a seal to identify producers who pay for grape or base wine above production costs.