Price: $9

Producer: Segura Viudas

Origin: Catalonia, Spain

Type of wine: Dry white sparkling wine; a blend of several grapes

Try it with: Alone it’s great. Cheese, bread, cold-cuts, Asian cuisine; it pairs well with almost any food

Date Reviewed: Jan. 2004

Cava is the Spaniards’ term for sparkling wine. It is made using the traditional “Champagne Method.” This is a tremendous value sparkling wine. The Segura Viudas is gold in color with a lively, fresh aroma and subtle scents of lemon. Unlike many value sparklers, the bubbles are very persistent – no flat bubbly here. This Cava has a racy flavor, which makes the mouth water (a good thing if you’re eating). In the mouth, it feels light-bodied with some of the familiar ‘yeastiness’ that sparkling wine drinkers love. A great bubbly for a party.