In today’s guest post, Spanish wine expert Ryan Opaz from Catavino.net says go with the Champagne from Spain!
So often, when we think of the holidays, our thoughts immediately turn to Champagne. Living in Spain, Spaniards also tend to follow the same train of thought, and in truth, it’s just plain sad. Cava is to Spain what Champagne is to France, typically of equal quality and always at a lower price. While the most expensive Champagnes will push 200 or more euros a bottle, you’d be hard pressed to find a Cava over the 50 Euro mark in Spain, and I swear to you, the quality is often times just as good.
Frexeinet is the largest producer of Cava in the world making a wide range of wines and styles. Often known as the “black bottle Cava”, their trademark black bottle is a perennial favorite party wine, affordable and well made. This year, in an effort to market their wines to a broader audience, they’ve commissioned Martin Scorsese to create a short film about one of their other value wines, Carta Nevada Reserva.
The Key to Reserva is a short, simple, yet entertaining, 10 min film in the style of Alfred Hitchcock. I’m not sure if it will sell any Cava, but at the least we all now have something to kill another 10 minutes worth of time with!
Tasting Note:
Carta Nevada Non-Vintage Reserva
Relatively large bubbles as compared to other cavas with a nice light golden color overall. The nose has a a light toasted quality with some almond aromas, pineapple and lemon zest. In the mouth, the wine is fully dry with a softness that leaves a refreshing feeling on the finish. Not a strong wine, delicate flavors of lemon, melon, toast and minerals. Good value for a large gathering. Pair this wine with a variety of lighter dishes. Personally some Gambas a la plancha would be my ideal choice!
Ryan’s blog Catavino.net covers the wines of Spain and Portugal. This December is dedicated to Cava, so check them out for more information.
I have to say that I’m not a great fan of Cava or Champagne, as the bubbles go straight into my head, but your tasting note has left me with a desire of a tall and thin glass of cava… together with those gambas, and it’s only 12:27pm!!!
“This year, in an effort to market their wines to a broader audience, they’ve commissioned Martin Scorsese to create a short film about one of their other value wines, Carta Nevada Reserva.”
Bloody hell Ryan – how long have you been in Spain? Freixenet’s flagship Xmas ads featuring a major star (usually foreign) have been famous for 20 (?) years.
I never thought I would crave Gambas a la plancha (not that there’s ever a bad time for it) and cava for breakfast.
@HF: Yeah but were those celebrities used by Freixenet of the same caliber (almost used the word stature) as Mr. Scorcese?
Okay, I’ve got a bottle of cava in the fridge. Someone bring the gambas and we’ve got lunch!
@ Ryan Catavino :
You said that Freixenet Carta Nevada Reserva has larger bubbles in comparison to other cavas.
I always thought small bubbles (specially when they come up in a straight thin line) are and indication of a good cava/champagne.
Is this true?
Freixenet is good, but there are so many Cavas in Spain that are better. Gramona Imperial brut for example – For many years I was a bit hesitant to buy the more expensive cavas, especially since they tend to be fairly close in price to the Champagnes. But this one blew me away. I would say that it is better than any Champagne under 30€. It has that really pleasant mix of bread crumb taste together with fruit and small, long-living bubbles that is just what I want in a bubbly.
@ValenciaSon: search YouTube for freixinet…
Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, Ana Obregon, Raquel Welch, Jose Carreras, Paul Newman, Christoper Reeve, Don Jonhson, Kim Basinger, Antony Queen, Meg Ryan, Maribel Verdu, Ainoa Arteta, Alejandro Sanz, Laura Ponte, Monserrat Caballe, Penelope Cruz, Pilar Lopez de Ayala, Demi Moore, Pierce Brosnan…
HF – I know they use celebrity’s to market. But for me Scorses stood out. Not to mention how can you mention this every year in a new way?
We do write about Spanish wine, so we need to “keep it fresh”…
Parubin – Small bubbles equal better for the most part, though it doesn’t mean that it’s a bad wine if it has big bubbles.
Anna – You’d be hard pressed to find Cava’s as expensive as Champange. Most “prestige cuvees” in the cava world are at the entry point for Champagne. In fact the wines considered the best in the world of Cava are all well underr 100euros, whereas Champagne is just getting started at 100euros. (honestly i can’t think of a cava to drink over 50euros).
Finally this is by far my favorite Cava, but it was surprisingly better than I had remembered it to be. We’ll be tasting cavas all month long at Catavino if you want to learn more. Next week we’re doing 12 cava’s under 10euros to see wherethe value it, then the following week we’ll be seeking out some of the higher end ones…
Are there any choice cavas you can recommend that are available in the US?
I’ll be putting some up next week that we love. We’re waiting on somestock lists, as we want to make sure our American readers can get them. For sure this will be up before the holidays!
I’m not a movie expert but being a bit of a geek, I can name 4 or 5 Hitchcock films that have been referenced:
1.Handkerchief that takes the bulb/ the man in glasses are from ‘North by Northwest’
2.Man being attacked in balcony is like ‘Rear Window’
3.Man hanging from balcony from ‘Vertigo’ and ‘North by Northwest’
4.Birds on building from ‘Birds’
I’ve probably missed loads especially a scene in the theatre. Anyone know any more?
Btw, I’ve been voting for cava over Champagne for years (and Spanish over French wines in general) but I’ve always advised people against Freixenet it doesn’t have the smooth buttery taste that you can find in other cavas. Freixent is a bit too ‘pop’.
The white light on the bottle close-up reminds me of the scene in ‘Suspicion’, when Cary Grant is carrying a glass of milk to Joan Fontaine (her wife in the picture) who is ill in bed.
Hi, I am Spanish and from Catalonia.
The best cava for me and very recommended is “Juvé & Camps Gran Reserva Familia” (20/25€). You can taste it in Spain but specially in Catalonia. I think that this one is not exported out of Spain, and there are not too much bottles in Spain out of Catalonia. Try it if you find it and Happy Holidays!
Ejem…
Cava it’s not spanish, it’s catalan…
And it’s Cava, not Champagne, because, as his name says, Champagne is from french region called Champagne…
Willy
Spot on with the Juvé & Camps. I personally prefer it over the oh-so-famous Moet & Chandon and it costs about half the price. In Madrid you can get it on El Corte Inglés.
Willy, si el cava es de Cataluña, es de España.
What is the decanter type of glass that you drink the cava from. I think it’s called a perron
You don’t drink Cava from it, though I guess you could, I have never seen anyone try. That said it’s called a Porron and tends to be the way you drink still wines when your out enjoying a meal in the country!
Thanks, proseco is great.