Bubbles. Really classy?
Brut Imperial
My (recent) passion for Cava should already be explicit to the (few) regular readers of my blog. I have a voracious appetite for this bubbly Spaniard concoction, made from tongue-twisting named grapes, with flavors ranging from crispy lime to decadent pastry. In my last article regarding the surprising Mas Candi, or the sexy Jane Ventura, I have tried to highlight how versatile and are these fizzy wines, and how much value for money can they deliver, when chosen wisely.
Recently, I have read this really good piece by Lindsay Holas (fellow attendee of EWBC Izmir 2012), arguing the fact that the Cava DO producers have been focusing on exporting lower-grade cava for many years now, positioning it as a “cheaper alternative to champagne” makes it difficult for smaller, quality producers to sell. I encourage you to read the entire article, for some interesting findings about different perceptions of age groups related to consumption.
On my side, I am entirely satisfied with the current Cava price range, thank you very much, since it’s so easy to find
Moet Chandon
awesome value, sometimes for as low as 10 Euros. It is surprising for me that people have so little patience in exploring this unbelievable world of sparkling wines.
But just for the sake of comparison, a few days ago I had the opportunity to pop up a bottle of classy Champagne, for a festive event. It seemed as the appropriate thing to do -to search in the cupboard for the „good” bottle- since not every day a friend of mine buys a plot of land to build a house. A Moet-Chandon was chosen, Brut Imperial, bearing the ubiquitous golden wrapping with the red seal.
I can’t say that it wasn’t good. It had nice little fine bubbles, making an impressive foam in the thin flutes, almost concealing the pearl-like colour. Good consistency in the mouth, with an attack of stone fruits and barley malt, and a generous palate of soft pastry, mulberries and lime zest. A lingering creamy citrus aftertaste is fading imperceptibly.
Champagne
No matter how elegant and sophisticate it may seem (and certainly they have strong customer base for that), I’m missing that unpredictable element of Cava: the baked nuts, the vibrant cilantro, the aerial jasmine, the chewy fresh bread crust, the seductive passion fruit..
For anyone who drinks sparkling wine no more than three times a year, and needs something special to celebrate, Moet-Chandon is an excellent choice. But for those who are on a budget, or a looking for something less „polished”, or both, the world of Cava can offer probably the best hidden jams. And lack of information is not an excuse anymore , here for example you can find a proposal of 50 great cavas.
golden label
Vinul din Cluj 
Am baut si eu Moet si Moet Rose, Dom Perignon si Krug. Ultima a fost preferata mea, e adevarat ca e cam scumpa, o sticla este in jur de 30-40 ₤ dar o recomand cu caldura. Data viitoare, daca vrei o poti incerca, nu e atat de acidulata ca Moet-ul si nici atat de acra. Eu beau vin/sampanie de cateva ori pe an, nu sunt o cunoscatoare,nu stiu sa iti spun ce arome se simt dar pot sa iti spun ca e foarte buna. Mie mi-a placut foarte mult si am cumparat cadou de casa noua o sticla pentru niste prieteni si ei au fost de acord cu mine.
Ai dreptate, in general nu poti sa dai gres cu marile case de sampanie -pe langa cele enumerate de tine, as mai adauga si Dom Ruinart si Laurent-Perrier. Dom Perignon nu am incercat, dar Krug mi-a placut si mie foarte mult.
Ceea ce am incercat sa scot in evidenta in articol sunt doua aspecte: exista o multime de vinuri spumante de calitate, la preturi mult mai accesibile, si faptul ca spumantele pot fi introduse cu usurinta ritumul zilnic, fara a fi nevoie de anumite ocazii deosebite.
total de acord
Gata, suntem minim doi 🙂
I drink Cava regularly – it’s my favorite white wine. However, sometimes those tiny French bubbles call out to me and I indulge with them too.
I think there’s a time and place for every sparkling wine. Champagne is an indulgence indeed, and I save it for something out of the ordinary, whereas Cava can fit basically into every meal.
Very interesting. I almost never drink sparkling stuff, be it wine or juice, but every now and then, it’s great to try one. Thanks for this piece on Cava vs Moet. 🙂
I’m glad you linked my article. I wasn’t either a big fan of fizzy wines, having in the past some
headachesbad experiences with them. On the other hand, I have successfully introduced sparkling wine in my menu, and now I’m finding more and more dishes and meals to pair it with.Keep us posted. I love reading about what wine goes well with what meal. 🙂
This particular Champagne went well with a dish of baked potatoes with sour cream, cilatro and smoked fish, but I guess you can pair it with any light bakery topped with sour cream.
I’ll investigate other pairings as well 🙂
Thx. 🙂