While it’s Prosecco that usually gets the party started at countless bottomless brunches, birthdays and baby showers across the UK, Cava is the sparkling wine on everyone’s lips (quite literally) this summer.
It’s been a slow build since Christmas 2023, when sales in its domestic market reached an all-time high, selling 252m bottles according to the D.O. Cava Regulatory Council, the body in charge of safeguarding and guaranteeing the quality of Cava, and for compliance with the regulatory specifications. Figures show that in the UK, Cava sold 16.8 million bottles last year, experiencing a growth of 5.38 per cent.
And it’s about time too.
Where does Cava come from?
Unlike Italy’s Prosecco or Champagne from France, Cava hails from sunny Spain with the bubbles produced in the bottle rather than in a tank like the latter, albeit from different grapes.
Lucy Auld, marketing director, Freixenet Copestick at Freixenet, the famed Cava brand, adds: “Cava, a sparkling wine native to Catalonia, is crafted through the Traditional Method.
This meticulous process follows the prestigious techniques seen in Champagne production, involving several key steps to ensure its excellent taste and refined bubbles. Made from a blend of indigenous grapes, the Traditional Method includes a two-stage fermentation, riddling and disgorging, with an ageing process of up to 18 months. Most notably, unlike other sparkling wines like Prosecco, the second fermentation step occurs inside the bottle which ultimately transforms it from a still to a sparkling wine and gives it wonderful flavour.”
The typical blend is Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada, but other varieties like Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Monstrell can also be combined, resulting in fruity but balanced flavours that are typically less sweet than its Italian counterpart but not as biscuity as its French cousin.
Is Cava cheaper than Prosecco and Champagne?
The biggest difference? It’s RRP. Cava is a bargain amongst sparkling wine, making it much more affordable to quaff regularly.
If you’re looking for a taste of the high life at a price that won’t make you wince, Cava is an excellent option. Choose the right bottle and it won’t feel budget either.
Behold: the best Cava to buy and try right now – they’re all real corkers.
Freixenet Cordon Negro
Think Cava, and Freixenet usually springs to mind. It is arguably one of the biggest brands in the business.
Hailing from the eponymous winery in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, just 40km from Barcelona, their Cordon Negro is a typical blend of Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes. It’s not just the distinctive matt black bottle that’s made it so famous in Spain, either: it’s clean and crisp with apple, ripe pear and citrus flavours, plus a touch of ginger on the finish.
While it’s the perfect pairing with food – salads, tapas and seafood – we particularly love this fizz as the base for a fresh and zesty aperitif. Ours is a kir royale, if you don’t mind.
Buy now £10.50, Tesco
Roger Goulart Gran Reserva Cava Josep Valls 2019
A traditional blend of Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes, this is Roger Goulart Reserva Cava Josep Valls. The brand takes its name from the winery founded in 1882 in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Catalonia, and specialises in long-aged Cavas.
No surprise then, that this bottle is a balanced and elegant sparkling wine with typical notes of green apple and citrus. Flavours aside, the bottle and label have more than whiff of Champagne about them, meaning it looks the part when circulating at parties (although this is a high-quality Cava, so you don’t even need to pretend).
Buy now £18.99, Cambridge Wine
Cune Cava Brut Penedés
While the CVNE Group (founded in 1879) is better-known for producing some of the world’s best Rioja, they’ve spread their winds to Penedés in Catalonia and added Cava to their stable, and we, for one, couldn’t be more thankful.
Received with acclaim by even the toughest of critics, Cune Cava Brut Penedés combines the usual combination of grapes and is crafted using the traditional method, resulting in a crisp, elegant and creamy palate with notes of ripe apple, honey and toasted bread.
Fresh and fabulous – and a snip of a price when compared to its French counterpart.
Buy now £16.99, Majestic
Vilarnau ‘Gaudi’ Organic Rosé Cava Brut Reserva
With a bottle inspired by Barcelona’s vibrant mosaic art – and Catalan’s most iconic architect and designer – Vilarnau ‘Gaudi’ Organic Rosé Cava Brut Reserva is a real conversation starter. Thankfully, it’s not all fur and no knickers: this award-winner is fresh and juicy with ripe red-berry flavours and delicate floral aromas.
The artisan winemakers, certified organic since 2015, have become known for sustainable practices that protect the environment while producing some truly top-notch plonk (in the best possible way). They’re one of the finest wineries to have been awarded the Wineries for Climate Protection certification, which is a big deal in the wine world. Plus it means you can clink with a clean conscience.
Buy now £13.99, Majestic
M&S Prestige Cava Brut
Characterised by lime, green apple and peach, M&S Prestige Cava Brut is a vibrant and citrussy sparkling wine made by renowned Spanish winemaker Miquel Salarich using local Macabeo and Parellada grapes sourced from the northeastern part of Catalonia.
The result? A seriously dry Cava that’s best enjoyed chilled with a snack to whet the whistle pre-dinner – almonds, olives, crisps – or a heartier meal such as slow-roasted chicken. It’s perfectly decent served by itself, however.
Buy now £9.00, Ocado
Cordorníu Ars Collecta Blanc de Blancs Reserve
More than five centuries of experience endorse the Cava that comes out of Cordoníu, the famous Spanish winery, while this premium number combines the best of tradition and innovation.
A blend of the usual Xarel-lo and Parellada, but throwing in Chardonnay grapes for something a bit different, it’s characterised by a creamy mousse, persistent bubbles (which mean they fizz on your tongue for a bit after you’ve slurped), aromas of peach and nectarine and flavours of toast and brioche. In short? A winner.
Buy now £15.00, Ocado
Co-op Cava Brut
You can always trust neighbourhood store Co-op to serve up two things: quality and value, an increasing rarity in supermarkets. And they certainly don’t disappoint with their signature Cava Brut, made from only Macabeo grapes and featuring apple, pear and peach flavours with notes of lemon, citrus and sourdough. It’s straw-yellow in colour and comes with persistent bubbles and a toasty finish that warms the cockles.
Fab with seafood and fish.
Buy now £7.50, Co-op
Campo Viejo Cava Gran Brut Reserva Sparkling Wine, 6 x 75 cl
You’d be forgiven for thinking that Campo Viejo Cava Brut Reserva was a bottle of Veuve Clicquot at first glance – characterised by a similar distinctive orange label and greenish-yellow tint – but this isn’t a bottle from the Grande Dame of Champagne.
In fact, it’s a stonkingly good Cava that combines Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes to provide a complex sparkling wine boasting fruity aromas and a seriously fresh palate.
We enjoyed ours with a plate of piled-high charcuterie and cheese, which it goes down just as well by itself as something crisp and bubbly to get the party started.
Buy now £54.08, Amazon
Tresor Cuvée Gran Reserva
Tresor Cuvée Gran Reserva is a complex and structured Cava that’s made from Xarel-lo and Chardonnay grapes to produce a gastronomic sparkling wine specifically made to complement haute cuisine (the fussier, the better, in fact).
The reason? A significant portion of the Chardonnay is fermented in oak barrels – after ageing for an extended period of more than 36 months – to increase its depth of flavour.
Stellar with skate au beurre noir (black butter and capers), darling.
Buy now £17.75, Great Wine
Perelada Brut Reserva Cava Blue Festival
Get fresh with this zesty, zingy Cava featuring lime, fresh apple and pear flavours complemented by brioche notes and luscious, lingering grapefruit.
It’s a well-structured number, combining Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes, while it works just as well as an aperitif as it does with tapas like patatas bravas, tortilla and gambas pil-pil. A sparkling gem.
Buy now £13.95, Master of Malt
Asda Extra Special Mas Miralda Brut Rosé Cava
This pink Cava from the posh Extra Special range at Asda will certainly make them wink. A surprising Spanish superstar – given the price point – it’s positively bursting with summery red-berry flavours that are sure to be the life of any party. We find that it is best enjoyed with food, such as crisp salad or fresh seafood, to complement the bubbles.
Buy now £7.50, Asda
Segura Viudas Premium Cava Brut Vintage
This balanced Cava from boutique winery Heredad Seguar Viudas is fresh, intense and complex – a real corker – with dominant flavours of apple, white fruit and pear complemented by tropical fruit and citrus notes. Interestingly, it combines the usual Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes but adds a small percentage of Chardonnay, giving it an injection of something a bit different to other bottles.
Clean, fresh and dangerously moreish.
Buy now £12.00, Tesco
Pago de Tharsys Brut Nature Cava
Made by the Pago de Tharsys winery, found about 70 miles outside of Valencia, Brut Nature Cava is blended from Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada grapes using the prestigious Champagne method. The resulting sparkling wine is light and fresh with notes of citrus, apple, pear and apricot.
Buy now £11.75, The Whisky Exchange
Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Cava Brut
We’re big fans of Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range, which serves up quality products at good prices. Its Cava Brut doesn’t let the side down with floral flavours complemented by apple notes and hints of lemon citrus. The buttery finish is, quite frankly, the icing on the cake.
Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada from Perelada, Catalonia, come together to spectacular effect, producing a reasonably-priced sparkling wine that’s far superior to many a bottle of Champagne.
But the best bit? It’s under a tenner.
Buy now £8.75, Sainsbury’s
