Knowledge, self-awareness and a strong sense of identity are all characters that define true pioneers. These provide the foundational strength and motivation to go one step further, driving innovation and creativity. This can certainly be said of Juvé & Camps, a company built upon more than two centuries of experience in Penedès, and whose name is synonym with Cava Gran Reserva.
Historical roots
The origins of Juvé & Camps date back to 1796, when Joan Juvé Mir first invested in vineyards in the iconic Catalonian region of Penedès. His son, Antoni Juvé Escaiola, would live through the phylloxera plague and drive efforts to replant and revive winemaking in the region. The passion and entrepreneurial spirit of these two patriarchs paved the way for Joan Juvé Baqués, Antoni’s son, to found the family’s winery. In 1921, Joan released the first sparkling wine produced in the cellar of the home where he lived with his wife Teresa Camps Ferrer. And thus Juvé & Camps was born.
The couple’s sons joined the company in the 1940s and drove its growth, with the building of a dedicated facility in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia and the investment of state-of-the-art production equipment. The company focused on the creation of the best traditional method sparkling wines, with extended ageing sur lattes, that would best express the grapes and terroir of Penedès. There was also, always, a particular focus on viticultural standards – the history of Juvé & Camps started in the vineyard and this is still where the primary quality and character of the wines is fostered. Today, Juvé & Camps has 271 hectares under vine, all of which are farmed organically and harvested by hand.
Such quest for quality, from root to glass, was never seen through the point of view of inaccessible exclusivity. Quality, balance, purity and drive are seen, rather, as necessary attributes of wines to accompany life’s simple pleasures and special moments. Companions that help to create shared memories and etch the stories of who we are.
Perpetual renewal
Juvé & Camps remains dynamic and young at heart, animated by the same inquisitive, demanding and daring spirit that informed its inception. There’s a constant questioning and eagerness to improve, seen in ever-more demanding criteria in both vineyard and cellar.
To keep this spirit well alive, there is a natural generational transition already happening: third generation Joan Juvé Santacana is the company’s president, while fourth generation Meritxell Juvé Vaello is the CEO or, quite simply, Juvé & Camps’ ‘bodeguera’. Having earning an MBA, Meritxell is ready to lead the company, as it enters its second century of history, with the same exacting standards and pursuit of balance.
Meritxell Juvé Vaello
A symbolic wine
The wine that best epitomises the philosophy of Juvé & Camps is the company’s flagship Reserva de la Familia, a Gran Reserva Brut Nature made exclusively from free-run juice and aged for an average of 36 months in bottle prior to degorgement. A blend of the iconic trio of local grapes – Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada – the cuvée embodies the sense of place, commitment to quality and laid back sophistication that shape the house’s philosophy and style. Values that are, nevertheless, reflected across the range of Juvé & Camps, producer of 35% of all Cavas in the Gran Reserva category, including wines with almost nine years of ageing sur lattes.
While celebrating 100 years of experience and commitment, Juvé & Camps looks at the future with an eye on the past, bridging tradition and innovation. The company’s passionate team know that the key to excellence are the tools given by accumulated knowledge, passion and craftsmanship. Today, as one hundred years ago, Juvé & Camps is an invitation to face life’s challenges and opportunities with a sense of determination, class and joy. Salut!
