Cava is to Spain what Champagne is to France, but it’s usually far more affordable. One of the best values in the sparkling wine market is Cava, which strikes a nice mix of lively pop and delicate depth.
Cava is produced similarly to Champagne, which ages wine on the lees for a minimum of nine months before disgorgement and packaging for retail. Champagne also goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This combination contributes earthy elements from Catalunya’s distinct terroir, bready, brioche-like notes from lees aging, and fresh, citrus and orchard fruit notes to sparkling wines made from grapes such as Xarel-lo, Macabeo, and Parellada.
2016 Avinyó Gran Reserva La Ticota, Brut Nature ($50)
The grandfather of the current winemakers at Avinyó, Joan Esteve Marcé, cultivated a single old-vine Xarel-lo vineyard in the Catalan countryside in 1940, and that is where this Cava originates. A minimum of 30 months of lees age is necessary to qualify as a Cava de Guarda Superior Gran Reserva, and this gives La Tocota a remarkable depth and complexity from its entire five years on the lees. The wine has a creamy, refined finish and flavors reminiscent of shortbread, pears, white peaches, and sesame.
NV Marqués de Cáceres Brut ($19)
With a blend of Chardonnay, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, this Cava is bright with notes of Granny Smith apples and a seashore-like salinity. Flavors of hard nectarines and a quiet suggestion of walnuts extend through the finish. Codorníu, the oldest winery in Spain, has been making wine since 1551 with a continued commitment to sustainability.
