Why Cava Is Our Favorite Alternative to Champagne and Prosecco

Sparkling wine can make any day feel like a celebration—pop a bottle, and voila, it's a party. In comparing options, perhaps you've wondered, what is cava and where does it fit into the world of bubbly? Champagne is certainly legendary and carries a hefty price tag, making it more of an indulgence while prosecco and Crémant d'Alsace have their fans, too, but cava is a standout. This effervescent Spanish wine is food-friendly, easy to drink—and worth exploring. We spoke to wine experts to learn more about this accessible and affordable sparkler.

What Is Cava?

Dubbed the Champagne of Spain, cava is a sparkling wine with small, fine bubbles from the Cava Denominación de Origen (D.O.) area. It can be white or rosé (rosado). Most cava is non-vintage, meaning it is a blend of wines from different years. The name cava comes from the Spanish word for "cave," referring to the cellars where the wines age.

Great Value

Cava provides plenty of bang for the buck. "If you like sparkling wine and would prefer to spend $20 or less instead of $50, try a bottle of cava," says Catherine Fallis, master sommelier at the wine club Bright Cellars. The approachable price tag, however, is not the only reason to consider cava. "Cava was seen as a wine of poor or cheap quality for many years," says Liz Martinez, general manager and sommelier of Apparatus Room at the Detroit Foundation Hotel. Today, cava is moving up in the ranks. Cava makers are placing a premium on quality and wooing consumers who love bubbly and want to drink it more often. They're also producing aged cava that might be set to compete with Champagne.

Dry or Sweet

Cava can be bone dry or sweet, similar to the span of styles of Champagne. Also akin to Champagne, cava's level of sweetness is a result of the amount of sugar added to the wine at bottling. The most common style of cava is brut, with the driest style, extra brut, coming second.

How Cava Is Made

Like Champagne—but not like prosecco—cava is produced using the método tradicional, which is what the French call méthode champenoise, or bottle fermentation. Método tradicional is a multi-step process including a second fermentation in the bottle, as opposed to a tank, followed by extended aging before release. It is, therefore, considered a high-quality sparkling wine, says Fallis.

This production method is one of the reasons why Champagne is so expensive—it requires time, space, and human hands and eyes to ensure a quality finished product. Prosecco, on the other hand, is made using the charmat (or tank) method; the wine becomes sparkling in the tank before it is bottled.

Principal Grapes

Cava is primarily made from three different types of native white grapes: xarel.lo, macabeo, and parellada. A few other varietals, such as chardonnay and pinot noir, can be included.

Rosado styles of cava are made from the red grapes garnacha, monastrell, pinot noir, and the Catalan variety trepat.

Cava Regions

Cava is made in four main regions that span different areas of Spain: Comtats de Barcelona (over 95 percent of all cava is made here), Ebro Valley, Viñedos de Almendralejo, and the Levante zone.

Aging Rules

By law, all cava must be aged for a minimum of nine months in the bottle. The wine aged for this time is called Cava de Guarda—and this budget-friendly, bright sparkling wine is the biggest category of cava. "These cavas are known for their zesty, citrus, and uplifting notes on the palate. It is one of my favorite bubbles to pair at a seafood bar," says Jessica Green, owner of Down The Rabbit Hole Wine Boutique in Sayville, NY, and Wine Vie, a personal wine consulting and concierge service.

The rules for cava get tighter as the aging time and quality increase:

• Reserva cava requires 18 months of aging.
• Gran Reserva is aged for 30 months.
• Paraje Calificado has a minimum age time of 30 months.

In addition, these wines are required to be 100 percent certified organic by 2025 and must have a vintage showcased on the bottle.

Longer-Aged Cava

The D.O. is also promoting longer-aged cava, with grapes that spend three to five years on lees. The result? Wines with extravagant, delicate flavor and a creamy finish on the palate that can rival the best Champagnes. "Very similar to Champagne, the older cava wines that I have tried display nutty notes with a strong brioche-y quality. Often, there is a bit of toffee and dates, too," says Martinez.

Why Now Is the Time to Drink Cava

Put simply, cava is the best it has ever been. "Cava producers are handpicking organic grapes and allowing for extended autolysis [a winemaking process that imparts richness and creaminess]," says Martinez. "This is creating a unique wine that is extremely fragrant and textural. The reality is that these are wines that rival Champagne."

Over the last few years, the Regulatory Board of the Denominación de Origin Cava has tightened the rules for making the wine, to encourage quality cava that is produced sustainably. The wines have improved—but the prices remain competitive.

Best Food Pairings

If you're looking for a bubbly sipper that goes with a world of flavors, opt for cava. "It is amazingly food-friendly," says Jeff Jenssen, a wine educator and co-author of five books, including White Wine. "Because of its high acidity, it pairs beautifully with seafood, cheese, and charcuterie and because of its complexity, it can pair with heartier fare such as grilled meats and mushroom risotto."

Start to Finish

You can enjoy cava during cocktail hour—pros say that an aperitif can open up the palate, even enhancing sequential dishes—or with every course of the meal. And remember: This sparkling wine is versatile enough to stand up to heavier dishes and desserts.