Did you know about Cava?

If you’re looking for an affordable bubbly this fall, consider Cava. This is a Spanish sparkling wine made using the same method as Champagne.

Many Cavas are produced in the Catalonia region in Spain and the grape varieties used are indigenous varieties like Xarello, Parelada, and Macabeo. Most Cavas are a blend of grapes from different years. These wines are aged with yeast from their fermentation for a minimum of nine months before bottling to enhance complexity of the flavors.

A Flexible Wine For Different Palates
Typical examples are refreshing and dry, but there are also semi-sweet and rosé versions, which means Cava is also a great beginner wine. Compared to Champagne, it is softer and fruitier. However, the best thing about Cava is that it costs only a third of a non-vintage Champagne! Most bottles set you back ¥160 or less.

Recommendations

The biggest and most well known Cava producer in Shanghai is Freixenet (ASC, Tel: 6445-3214). Try their Cordon Negro Brut (Dry), Brut Rose and Carta Nevada Semi Seco (semi-sweet).This wine can stand alone as an aperitif or to pair with food. Our tip: try them out with hairy crabs or xiaolongbao.

Paul Wong is the creator of Winechi.com