Premium Cava: Over £25

This blend of Xarel-lo and Macabeo, available in Spain for under 25€, shows that fine Cava need not be expensive.  It’s pale gold in colour with light lemony fruit, sweetened a little with the scents of aniseed and dry brush.  On the palate, it is concentrated, vinous and flowery, yet with ample biscuity fullness too: so roundedly dry as to be almost paradoxical, and given lift by the swarm of fine bubbles.

Nutty, savoury, rich and powerful with almond and Christmas cake-like flavours – almost like it has a touch of amontillado. Powerful, full-bodied, soft and fully mature with lovely lime freshness on the finish and a medium-long length.

Round and elegant, sitting very comfortably on the mid-palate like a well-loved sofa. On the finish, it’s long and nuanced with brioche and lime characters.

Now nearing a decade since the fruit was picked, this wine shows its age in its golden hue and powerful toasty aroma. The palate shows good concentration, decent weight, and a touch of elegance (from the 45% Macabeo) with an attractive grip on the finish.

Fully developed almond and stewed apple flavours. Full-bodied and round with mouth-coating tannins, firm acidity and a mineral grip on the finish.

There’s an almost sweet white stone fruit to this – its ripeness and voluptuousness screams of non-indigenous varieties. Soft in style and easy to enjoy now.

Powerful, assertive, toasty nose with real zip – this is a Cava that wakes your palate up mid-tasting thanks to 50% Xarel-lo. It has gained some lime and nutty characteristics over its 60 months on lees and is losing its primacy of fruit, but this wine is all about texture and purity.

Fresh, crisp, approachable sparkler that’s dry, with apple and toasty characters. The 55% Parelleda gives a soft, come-hither note to the wine, but could do with a touch more acidity to back it up on the finish.

<p>This 100% Macabeo provides plenty of its signature fresh apple fruit on the nose. Relatively light-bodied but showing a good level of concentration; starting to lose some of its fruity freshness. Some interesting treatment in the winery: part-fermented in new oak and 30 months on lees. Nice dry finish.</p>

Fermented in new French oak barrels, this 60% Parellada with no dosage offers subtle flavours and softness. A Cava that is so relaxed it feels like it has just completed a meditation!

Lemon and lime combine on this bright Cava. Soft on the mid-palate, assertive fizz then a fresh finish and brightness with good grip coming from the 29% Xarel-lo. A good wake-me-up.

A modest gran reserva with notes of baked apples and toast. Round and weighty thanks to a decent proportion of Pinot Noir (42%). Textural finish.

Tasted from magnum. Lime and toast combine in this starting-to-develop Cava. It’s zingy and taut while also being a little creamy (this is 100% Chardonnay). A relatively simple, easy-going wine with a brisk finish.