Slightly sweet Cava Brut ups your grilling options (#winePW)

Sweet wines have their detractors. Fact is, sweet wines get a downright bad and largely undeserved rep. A wine with a touch of residual sugar or bubbly with a slightly sweet dosage can be perfect for spicy or sweet barbecue sauce.

Can’t say the same for Cabernet Sauvignon, right?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Cava is my go-to bubbly. Fruity like Prosecco, bready like Champagne and for a fraction of the cost. So I was excited that Deanna at Wineivore chose to feature Cava for Wine Pairing Weekend this month. We’ll be talking about Cava on Twitter this Saturday, 7/8, at 11 am ET/8 am PT if you’re reading this in time. Simply follow the #winePW hashtag.

A few notes on Cava

• Cava is made in the traditional method, like Champagne. A second fermentation takes place in the bottle.
• Most Cava winemakers use three native grapes: Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. Other permitted grapes are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
• Cava is easy to find, food friendly and, like Champagne and other bubblies, available in a range of sweetness levels from bone dry (Brut Nature) to off-dry (Brut) to sweet (Dulce) or something in between.
• The first bottles of Cava were produced in 1872 in the winemaking area of Penedés in Catalonia, especially in the town of San Sadurní d’Anoia and its surroundings. The Comtats de Barcelona area of Catalonia is still responsible for more than 95% of all Cava from Spain. However, Denominación de Origen (DO) Cava can also be made in three other zones: Valle Del Ebro, Viñedos de Almendralejo and Valencia.
• In 2021, the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fishing and Food approved the Cava Regulatory Board’s new zoning system. This system identifies subzones that more precisely pinpoint local microclimates and terroir. In addition, the new regulations include stricter requirements for cava production, such as longer bottle fermentations in the reserva categories.

The producer: Mont Marçal Vinícola

Mont Marçal Vinícola was founded in 1975 by Manuel Sancho who, after many years in the music business, was looking for a new pursuit. He purchased a 14^th century farmhouse that had been converted into a 19^th century convent, and turned it into a state-of-the-art winemaking facility. Since 2015, the estate has been owned by Bardinet, a global wine producer. Source

The estate is located on a chalky limestone knoll five miles south of Vilafranca del Penedès, overlooking the hamlet of Sant Marcal. The estate’s 100 acres of vineyards are planted to Parellada, Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Chardonnay for white wines, and Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds. The “Mont” provides 360-degree exposure for the grapes. Recently, while expanding the Cava aging and bottling capacity, excavations revealed medieval underground passageways in the chalk. These passageways have been preserved for additional bottle storage. Source

The wine: 2019 Mont Marçal Cava Brut Reserva
40% Xarel·lo, 30% Macabeu, 20% Parellada, 10% Chardonnay
Made with organic grapes

Each variety is picked separately. Grapes are pressed gently, the musts selected, and after fermentation is finished, the varietal wines are blended together. A second fermentation takes place in the bottle. The wine is aged at least 24 months on its own lees (spent yeast cells) and disgorged on order for shipment.

My tasting notes: Pale yellow with fine bubbles and a heady mousse that dissipates quickly. Fruity aromas of apple and pear, with hints of spiced pineapple and fresh-baked bread. On the palate, I get ripe red pineapple sprinkled lightly with sugar, honeydew melon and brioche. Sweet notes make sense given 8 grams of residual sugar per liter. Medium acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 11.5%. Price: $14.

The pairing: With a slightly sweet sparkler like this one, I upped the ante for our Fourth of July barbecue. These two recipes are from Good Housekeeping’s Grill It! book:

1. Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kabobs
2. Hoisin-Grilled Tofu and Vegetables

The book is available on Amazon (probably elsewhere, too), and no, I don’t get a commission.

I can share with you the deep, dark Hoisin sauce I made myself. Super easy by following this online recipe from The Recipe Critic. It was so delicious I ran my finger around the inside of the bowl to catch every last drop.

As expected, the Cava Brut behaved like yet another ingredient in both grilled dishes. It was a subtle counterpoint to the chicken and a sweet accompaniment to the tofu and vegetables. I’m sure we could have filled our glasses and segued successfully into dessert.

Looking for more Cava pairings? Check out what these #winePW bloggers are posting:

• 2017 Can Descregut Corpinnat Brut Nature Reserva + Spanish Inspired Appetizers! by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog
• Cava and Croissants? Yes Please! by The Quirky Cork
• Cava with an eclectic array of Tapas! by Crushed Grape Chronicles
• Coconut Almond Tea Cakes and Torre Oria Cava Rosé by Our Good Life
• For a Sparkling Summer Surprise, Try Spain’s Biodynamic Raventos i Blanc with Anchovy Sammies by Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley
• Grilled Teriyaki Chicken + Cava = A Perfect Summer Pairing by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hoya de Cadenas Cava Brut and Coctel de Camaron by Wineivore
• Huevos Rotos (Broken Eggs) + Juvé & Camps Reserva de la Familia Gran Reserva Brut by Culinary Cam
• Slightly sweet Cava Brut ups your grilling options by My Full Wine Glass

Have I mentioned how much I love Cava? Probably not enough. Here are my previous posts:

• 2016 Vins El Cep Gelida Gran Reserva Cava Brut
• 2017 Mata I Coloma ‘Pere Mata’ Cupada Cava Rosé Reserva
• Roger Goulart Coral Cava Rosé Brut NV