After a number of years within the doldrums, cava is again! UK gross sales elevated by greater than 17% between 2021 and 2022, making the UK the fourth largest cava market on the planet. This makes good sense because the British love champagne and the perfect cava has a style that is not all that completely different, however at a a lot cheaper price. If I had a celebration and wished one thing to shock my friends with out having to fret about a formidable label, I’d significantly take a look at cava as a substitute of champagne or new world sparklers.
Not like prosecco, which will get its bubbles from a pressurized tank, cava is made in precisely the identical method as champagne, by bottle fermentation after which aged for at the least a 12 months, so that you get comparable cookie flavors. The distinction is that Cava is often created from the Catalan grape varieties xarel-lo, macabeo and pearlada, though some producers use chardonnay and pinot noir.
I attempted a choice of generally out there wines from supermarkets, wine retailers, on-line retailers and main manufacturers. I’ve to say the standard was a lot better than I anticipated, greater than once I did this check 5 years in the past and a lot better than the usual 10 or 15 years in the past. A budget ones had been all very nice and there have been some wonderful wines if you happen to’re keen to pay a bit of extra.
Wine knowledgeable Henry Jeffreys beforehand wrote drink guides for BBC Good Meals protecting all types of fizz, together with the perfect prosecco, the perfect English glowing wines and the perfect champagne. Learn on to seek out out which cava is the perfect. For extra info, go to our opinions part and discover over 400 hands-on purchaser’s guides, together with style checks of rosé wine, gin, vodka and extra.
One of the best cava to purchase at a look
- Greatest single cava cava: Juvé y Camps cava singular grand reserva brut nature 2016, £21
- Greatest cava from huge manufacturers: Freixenet Cordon Negro brut cava, £10
- Greatest funds cava: Tesco cava brut non-vintage, £5.85
- Greatest cava with seafood: 2020 Waitrose No.1 Castillo Perelada Brut Cava, £8.99
- Greatest Grocery store Personal Label Cava: Asda Further Particular Mas Miralda Brut Cava, £8
- Greatest classic cava: Conde de Haro brut reserve 2019, £13.95
- Greatest cava for leisure: Cune brut cava, Penedès, £16.99
- Greatest rosé cava: Roger Goulart Cava Coral rosé brut 2018, £18
- Greatest for the prettiest bottle: Vilarnau cava rosé delicate brut reserve NV, £12
One of the best cava to purchase, style examined 2023
Juvé y Camps cava singular gran reserva brut nature 2016
Greatest single cava cava
This one is made solely of xarel-lo. With its floral, even peppery style, that is each scrumptious and really distinctive. Not like most glowing wines, it would not attempt to be champagne and that is all the higher for it.
Obtainable from:
Harvey Nichols (£21)
Freixenet Cordón Negro brut cava
Greatest huge model cava
That matte black bottle is such a fixture on the excessive avenue that it is easy to miss Freixenet, however that will be a mistake. That is a lot better than earlier than, filled with lemon sorbet fruit with shocking weight and richness.
Obtainable from:
Tesco (£10)
Morrisons (£11)
Asda (£10)
Amazon (£10)
Tesco cava brut non classic
Greatest funds cava
Actually silly cash for a wine made in the identical method as champagne and aged for a 12 months earlier than being bought. Made by a producer referred to as La Vuelta, that is higher than any cava at this value needs to be, with its clear citrus taste and trace of cookie richness.
Extra like this
Obtainable from:
Tesco (£5.85)
Waitrose No.1 Castillo Perelada cava brut 2020
Greatest cava with seafood
This was made for Waitrose by Castillo Perelada, a vineyard based mostly in Girona. I believed it was splendidly crunchy with inexperienced apple and a little bit of toastiness and nuttiness within the aftertaste. The unpretentious charms can be nice with a giant pile of spicy grilled shrimp.
Obtainable from:
Waitrose (£8.99)
Greatest grocery store home model cava
£8 for a wine aged for 5 years – one other foolish value. Initially it’s fairly easy with the freshness of lemon zest, however then the mature notes similar to almond and pastry emerge within the end. Actually scrumptious and tastes far more costly than it’s.
Obtainable from:
Asda (£8)
Conde de Haro brut reserve 2019
Greatest classic cava
Muga is a Rioja Bodega however in addition they produce cava below the Conde de Haro label. I have been ingesting this wine for years and each classic is great. In the event you like a richer model, then this – with its marzipan construction – is the wine for you. Very superior cava.
Obtainable from:
The Wine Society (£13.95)
Cune brut cava, Penedes
Greatest cava for leisure
CVNE, often known as Cune, is one other rioja home that produces cava. That is an absolute delight, with crisp inexperienced apple flavors and completely balanced ripeness. The label additionally seems to be very fashionable. This could be nice for events, particularly because the value drops considerably if you purchase six bottles.
Obtainable from:
Majestic (£16.99)
Roger Goulart Cava Coral rosé brut 2018
Greatest rosé cava
There aren’t any white grapes on this in any respect, that is created from a mix of pinot noir and garnacha, or grenache. On the nostril it smells actually toasty and yeasty after which take a sip and you actually style the character of the crimson wine. There are plenty of crimson cherry fruit. I can not think about anybody not having fun with this.
Obtainable from:
Hi there (£18)
Vilarnau cava rosé delicate brut reserve NV
One of the best for probably the most stunning bottle
The bottle is impressed by the structure of Barcelona’s most well-known son Antoni Gaudí. Happily, the contents are simply as stunning as the outside. One other rosé created from grenache and pinot noir. It tastes a bit like strawberry ice cream however with bubbles. In the event you can think about such a factor.
Obtainable from:
Ocado (£12)
One of the best champagne
One of the best prosecco
One of the best rosé wine
One of the best rum
One of the best gin
One of the best non-alcoholic drinks
One of the best vodka
One of the best tequila
This overview was final up to date February 2023. In case you have any questions, options for future opinions or see something that has modified in value or availability, please get in contact at goodfoodwebsite@quick.co.uk.
