Top value Cava: Under £25
In association with Cava DO.
Find yourself a great value Cava to enjoy...
Top value Cava: Under £25
Rebecca Gibb MW tasted these top Cava wines, at a tasting organised by the Cava DO. These are the wines that don’t break the bank.
‘There were some genuinely good sparkling wines, with several at the sub-£20 level displaying skilful viticulture and vinification, as well as an evolution from lengthy ageing.,’ said Gibb.
‘While no wine achieved more than 93 points, those achieving 90 or more displayed harmony, complexity and textural interest, clearly the result of tender loving care in both the vineyard and winery, offering intensity and fruit concentration.’
Cava grape varieties: Three headline grapes
Cava de Paraje Calificado: Cava’s top tier
Cava and food pairing
Torelló, Special Edition Brut Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2012
Vivacious and bright, this wine has plenty of energy in its light-bodied core. The wine finishes with real drive, likely due to the 46% Xarel-lo in the blend, with nearly one-third Macabeo bringing elegance on the mid-palate as well as apple fruit. Appetising, with attractive grip on the finish.
2012
TorellóCava
Alta Alella, Mirgin Reserva Brut Rosé, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2015
Pretty strawberry colour. An appealing nose of cherry, orange and watermelon - a really quite intriguing combination of flavours. Bright with a fine fizz and a mineral finish. A really cheery wine that’s fun and will make you smile. Made from Mataro.
2015
Alta AlellaCava
Cava Rimarts, Gran Reserva 40, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2013
An ambitious wine that has spent more than 40 months ageing, showing toasty, biscuity notes. Rich and focused, with high levels of concentration, and just a hint of bitterness on the finish.
2013
Cava RimartsCava
Marqués de la Concordia, MM Gran Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2012
Made from 40-year-old vines, this is a ripe expression offering up Golden Delicious apples and peaches with a hint of autolytic-derived almonds. Dry, fresh, easy-going style that is ready to drink.
2012
Marqués de la ConcordiaCava
Llopart, Brut Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
This organically grown blend of Cava’s traditional trio of varieties offers a gentle nose of pure fresh apple and hints of almond biscuits. Round and mellow mid-palate with assertive acidity and a touch of bitter phenolics on the finish.
2014
LlopartCava
Llopart, Rosé Brut, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
Fresh and lively, this rosé has an attractive watermelon-pink hue and a delicate nose reminiscent of baked pastry and red cherry flavours. Rather frothy, but the palate follows up with lovely weight and a bracing finish.
2014
LlopartCava
Marqués de la Concordia, MM Reserva de Familia Brut Rose, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2013
This blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Monastrell creates a bright, fruity rosado with juicy strawberry flavours and a hint of creaminess that’s off-dry and fresh. Enjoy now for its vibrancy.
2013
Marqués de la ConcordiaCava
Castellroig, Brut Nature Gran Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2011
Strong toasty character on the nose dominates. Easy-going, dry, crisp style; rather one-dimensional.
2011
CastellroigCava
Juvé y Camps, Brut Rosé, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
Macerated on the skins for about 12 hours, giving a bright strawberry colour. Primary red cherry fruit with a little sour cherry on the finish. Dry, bright and crisp – perfect for summer.
2014
Juvé y CampsCava
Castillo Perelada, Stars Brut Nature , Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
Fresh, crisp, approachable sparkler that’s dry, with apple and toasty characters. The 55% Parellada gives a soft, come-hither note to the wine, but could do with a touch more acidity to back it up on the finish.
2014
Castillo PereladaCava
Sumarroca, Núria Claverol Pinot Noir Rosé, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
A beautifully pale, almost Provençal shade of pink. Reductive on the nose with a gentle, almost spritzy character.
2014
SumarrocaCava
Alta Alella, Mirgin Gran Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2013
A richly ripe, toasty wine that shows some oxidatively aged characteristics of almonds plus a rounded structure. Vinous, with a nice grip on the finish.
2013
Alta AlellaCava
Alta Alella, Opus Evolutium Brut Reserva, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2012
Rich and nutty with a portion of the wine that’s been part-fermented in used barrels. It’s round and harmonious with nice developing characters, integrated mousse and a long, nutty finish. Savoury and nutty, with nice texture, freshness and salinity on the finish.
2012
Alta AlellaCava
Sumarroca, Núria Claverol, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2011
100% Xarel-lo that’s starting to show development on both the nose and palate. This wine offers both lime and apple flavours in a concentrated, vinous core. Powerful and grippy.
2011
SumarrocaCava
Dominio de la Vega, Brut Reserva Especial, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2014
A rather deeper golden hue than many Cavas due to part-fermentation in French oak barrels, bringing an attractive hint of nutty oak flavours and the rounding effects of a touch of oxidative ageing. Vinous, round and full bodied, with 30% Chardonnay adding stone fruit notes to the Macabeo.
2014
Dominio de la VegaCava
Pere Ventura, Vintage Brut, Cava, Penedès, Spain, 2012
Starting to show some development in its stewed apple characters. Light bodied, elegant and soft on the mid-palate with a finely integrated mousse, and a mineral, grippy, textural finish.
2012
Pere VenturaCava
