Like wine isn’t subjective enough, but let’s face it, Cava’s better than Prosecco, right? That’s a silly statement, I know. Am I not drinking the right Prosecco? I even hear people say Prosecco is better than Champagne. Now that’s a statement!

This isn’t about deciphering who’s right and who’s wrong. Wine is like that. There are people who just love the fruity sweetness of a Moscato d’Asti, the zippy acidity of their favourite sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, or the biscuity savouriness of the finest Champagne.

When it comes to the big three, in order, I prefer Champagne, Cava and lastly Prosecco. In terms of value for money, Cava is number one. This is not to say Prosecco comes last because I hate it. I love the stuff, I just think in general Cava offers a little more complexity and interest.

What makes them different

Prosecco

Prosecco is the name of the grape variety, grown in Italy’s northern Friuli territory. The wine is made fizzy by the tank method, which involves a second fermentation in giant tanks rather than in bottle. It is then settled and the clear wine pumped off the lees before being bottled under pressure. The price can remain price competitive because it is less labour intensive and because of the time saved during production.

Cava

Cava is the neither the name of a grape variety or a region. It is simply the type of wine. The majority of the grapes are grown in Penedès, not far from Barcelona. The traditional varieties are Macabeo (aka Viura), Parellada and Xarel-lo, but more recently Chardonnay, and even Pinot Noir, has found its way into blends, making for a more accessible style worldwide.

Cava is made using the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle), where second fermentation takes place inside the bottle the wine will be sold in. The base wine is bottled with a measured amount of sugar and yeast. The second fermentation will give just the right amount of fizz whilst raising the alcohol level an extra 1-1.5%. It also leaves a sediment of dead yeast cells. This is the key to those complex, savoury flavours. They are removed before release to market by a method known as disgorgement.

As part of our Spanish sale, we have 20% off Cava from our multi-award winning Cava house, Mont Marçal, until the end of April. Our 90 Parker Point Extremarium will be back in stock next week. Pop us a mail if you would like to join the list of reminders.

There’s a lot of questionable sparkling wine out there, so when we were on the hunt for a new Cava house to source from, we wanted to make sure we found something that would punch above its weight. We searched high and low to raise the bar and bring the best quality Cava to Ireland. After much deliberation tasting a variety of sparklers from numerous different cellars, it was Mont Marçal who got the nod.

We think the wines are sensational, and obviously the critics agree, with the Brut Cava Reserva picking up Gold at Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Robert Parker’s right-hand man, Jay Miller, awarding the flagship Cava, Brut Cava Extremarium, an electrifying 90 points. This kind of consistent recognition over the years has earned Mont Marçal a place as one of the most prestigious cellars in the Penedès.

The winery

The cellar at Mont Marçal was founded in 1975 by Manuel Sancho who, after dedicating many years to the music world, directed his attention to the art of wine and Cava making. It is Blanca Sancho, the founder’s daughter, who now runs the cellar together with a team of young professionals.

The estate has 40 hectares of its own vineyards which comprises indigenous varieties such as Macabeu, Xarel.lo, Parellada and Tempranillo, in addition to other varieties that have adapted perfectly to the region, such as Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

With the aim to optimise each phase of the production and the quality of its products, Mont Marçal has the most advanced technology at hand:

• A cellar with a maximum storage capacity of 1 million litres
• A barrel park with 250 barrels of American, French and Hungarian oak, each with 225 litres
• A laboratory to undertake microbiological and physical/chemical analysis
• A bottling line for 3000 bottles per hour
• A cellar capable of holding up to 6 million bottles at a time for ageing

The range (Cava & still wines)

Mont Marçal Brut Cava Reserva: A blend of Xarel.lo, Macabeo and Chardonnay, the Brut Reserva has aromas of yeast and ripe apples. The palate is fruity and balanced with very fine bubbles.

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles Gold Medal

Mont Marçal Brut Cava Extremarium: This is a step up from the Brut Reserva, with a more savoury complexity as well as being fruit-driven. It has received three silver medals and a 90-point score from Jay Miller.

Jay Miller (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) 90 points

Mont Marçal Brut Cava Rosado: Made from the native Trepat grape variety, this dry sparkling rosado is packed with red berry fruit and hints of plum and fig.

Jay Miller (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) 88 points

Mont Marçal Blanco 2009: Great value Spanish white of Penedès. Crisp & fruity, this is a real class act with or without food.

Mont Marçal Tinto Joven 2009: Classically warm & rustic Spanish red blend, with lashings of red & black fruits to arouse the palate.

“Come, for I am drinking stars!” -Dom Perignon

You’ve probably been to a party, event or some kind of celebration where sparkling wine was served. If you didn’t like it, the chances are you aren’t drinking the right stuff. Proper sparkling wine isn’t just mass produced carbonated grape juice, dressed up in a pretty yellow price tag on our supermarket shelves. I’m not talking about the sugar-loaded, fizzy alcoholic pop.

Yes, sparklers do start out as regular bubbleless wine. The secret to it all is the second fermentation, which requires the addition of yeast and sugar. A little more alcohol and a lot of heavenly bubbles are a result of this second phase, with the natural carbonation (no dry ice is used for these babies) and complex flavours developing the once still wine into something else all together.

The tank method of fermentation stops the carbon dioxide gas from escaping. It dissolves into the wine, which is bottled under high pressure in order to retain the bubbles.

Bottle fermented wines are more labour intensive and production costs are higher, but when it comes to quality, there are two mains advantages. With the extended contact the wine has with dead yeast, complex bready and biscuity flavours develop. Secondly, the bubbles are much smaller and longer lasting.

According to many, the best sparkling wine in the world is Champagne. And surprise, surprise, it’s made by the traditional bottle fermented method. On top of this, there is the demand. Champagne carries value in its name and you’ll pay for that too. Is it worth it? Personally, yes, but its not an everyday wine. You wouldn’t be opening one in front of Coronation Street on a Monday night. It’s for special occasions. Christmas, birthdays, weddings and so on.

Then we have our less expensive alternatives. Don’t turn your nose up. There are many, many really good sparkling wines, particularly from Spain and Italy, that use the bottle method or the tank method of fermentation. Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco‘s offer beautiful, fruit driven sparklers that are becoming more and more fashionable.

If you’re keen to try an affordable Cava in your next case, don’t miss out on our award winning Mas Macia Cava Brut, currently on sale with the rest of our Spanish range. €14.39 won’t break the bank, and for that special occasion, there’s the Sommelier Gold Listed Lallier Champagne to wipe the floor with any other Champagne within its price range, or the Decanter 5 star Duval Leroy Grand Cru Champagne 1996, which is our true sparkling star.