Cava conundrum
Memories of dodgy cheap Cava haunt me like angry olives marinated in regret. And yet, I’ve had nights out sipping top bottles that have made my toes feel like turbines on the dancefloor. Around a tenner for a bottle here in the UK delivers decent Spanish Cava blended from local grapes with all the hallmarks of the best fizz – refreshment and richness balanced with that lifting thrill that the finest bubbles deliver.
OLLY’S PICK OF THE BUNCH
VINTAGE CAVA 2017 (11.5%), £6.49, Aldi. Vibrant and textural, this is delicious with a few green olives.
CAVA ROSADO (11.5%), £6.95, Co-Op. Probably the best-value pink fizz in Britain, a summery dream of sparkling cherries.
THE BEST VINTAGE CAVA BRUT 2018 (12%), £7.50 on offer, Morrisons. Zesty and accomplished, this tastes more expensive than it is. Genius.
KYLIE MINOGUE ORGANIC RESERVA CAVA (11.5%), £12, Sainsbury’s. Nuanced, moreish and rich, this is Kylie’s greatest hit – I love it.
WINE OF THE WEEK:
NO 1 CASTILLO PERELADA CAVA BRUT 2018 (11.5%), £7.99 (on offer), Waitrose. Superb character and apple-bright buzz. Liquid disco.
This article was originally published in YOU Magazine, Mail on Sunday, 11th July 2021 – Prices, stockists and vintages correct at time of publication.
