Spain’s Catalonia region is many things, but for sparkling wine drinkers, it’s just plain fun. Not only are many of the bottles outright works of art, but you can generally find them to be wonderful seafood pairs and will compliment a wider array of appetizers than others.
Generally, these delicious sparklers are referred to as Cava and most of it comes from Catalonia, but the name is also used in other Spanish regions. Because the majority of these are versatile and nicely priced, a good Cava should be part of any well-appointed cellar.
Maybe it’s local tradition or clever marketing strategy, but putting fancy “sleeves” on bottles of Cava give them a personality all their own. Some of them even use metal trim (Segura Viudas does it nicely) on their bottles. They are quick to spot in the sparkling wine section at the bottle shop.
One of the most eye-catching of these is Vilarnau’s limited edition Brut Reserva Cava with the “Gaudi Sleeve”. Every bottle catches the pattern a little differently, making for an interesting lineup if you purchase several for a party. And the flavor follows through in an artful way.
With a delicate bouquet of honey, melon with traces of citrus, it’s nice to let this Cava remain in the glass for a minute or so and let the bubbles do the talking. A soft balance of delicate sweet and lemon zest make it work very well with light seafood appetizers or baked mountain trout.
You can find it at online outlets for $15-$20. They plan to increase availability here in the states for future bottlings.
As for temperature, serve really chilled and just leave it out between servings. It tends to open up very well for the better part of an hour. The bubbles hold up quite well too.