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EP 962 Cava Tasting

Gary Vaynerchuk has long been a fan of Cava, sparkling wine from Spain, as an alternative to expensive Champagne. Cava comes from the Barcelona region in Spain and ring in at nice price points.

Wines tasted in this episode:

Cavas Hill BrutSpanish Brut Nonvintage
One + One Three BrutSpanish Brut Nonvintage
Codorniu OriginalSpanish Brut Nonvintage
2007 Gramona Gran CuveeSpanish Brut Vintage


Latest Comment:

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Cara Cassetta

Can cheap-end Cava be compared to high-end Champagne & expect the same quality? I want to see a tasting of Cava priced at the same prices as high-quality Champagne, there we can see the quality-price-value ratio. I don’t feel it’s fair $9 Cava being tasted as an alternative cheap version of Champagne, when Cava is completely unique in it’s own way not simply defined as an imitation. There is some awesome Cava, perhaps it might not be as widely-accessible as other wines, but, beyond convenience they are a treasure waiting to be discovered…

Tags: brut, Cava, review, Spanish, sparkling, Video, wine, wines

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  • Mark

    First? Coolio’s famous song was Gangsta’s Paradise

  • Anonymous

    top 2!

  • Anonymous

    I`m going for a Cremant de bourgogne this year! Last year I drank a Cava. But I have to say, I was really disappointed. And I also have tried alot of cava the last year, and it just ain`t bringing the thunder for me. I think in general, cremant is higher quality wine. But that`s just my opinion.

  • nick S

    I agree there’s a couple great cava’s on the market for a fair QPR. I’m going to Barcelona for NYE, so will enjoy their cava and tapas!

  • This show was my jam–you kept it real, we got a field trip, you were focused. Exquisite effort. 97 points.

    QOTD: Chartogne-Taillet and for NYE I was going to try a Cremant Brut de Charvis and a bottle of Pierre Gimonnet Brut Blanc De Blancs.

    p.s. who saw my ducks get blown out against Buffalo? EWWWWWWWWW

  • That was a soft ball… you knocked it out of the park.

  • Anonymous

    Cava! I’ll be buying some fore new years this week.

  • Anonymous

    I have been known to bring home a freixenet from the grocery store every once in a while. Cheap, reliable, tastey.

  • Anonymous

    Store looks awesome G. Didn’t realize the brick and mortar side was so big. Gonna have to pay a visit.

  • Anonymous

    par-eh-LYAH-du

  • Anonymous

    Word. Will watch later, got Barrels to unload and rack.

  • Anonymous

    Got your exercise at work today, Mott!

    RE: cava — my experience has always been getting wines like #1 & 3! Haven’t decided about NYE

  • Anonymous

    qotd: Was planning on an inexpensive cava. By midnight anything really good will probably be lost on me. I may start the night with something good though….

  • I’m thinking about that Vinny Testaverde Gran Cuvee

  • Hey Gary, I posted awhile back to get some opinions on restaurants in New York city.Well it was simply amazing,eating in New York is something very different than what we can get hear in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan,Canada.
    The best part of the trip wasn’t the food it was my first NFL game , we were able to get tickets to the historic Giants/Eagles game, I wasn’t a football fan of any kind before that day but now even with the loss I have embraced the Giants like I have our local hockey team,it seems weird but at least I will have something to do on sundays now.

    Thanks to You Gary and Ian for the great recommendations!

  • Hork54

    Champagne, of course!

  • dc_steve

    Gary, I’m a med student/big fan. I’m a little concerned that you seemed a little out of breath after jogging back up the flight of stairs in this episode. Obviously you’ve been blessed with solid genetics given your physique with your epicurean inclinations, but maybe start integrating a thirty minute run three or four times a week so you’ll be around for a while.

  • Don’t mind Gary 😉 I really don’t get “cheap” Cava’s either. So my sparkling for new years will be: Barth Rosé Brut from the Rheingau. I’m all about German vintner Sekt in general.

  • Having trouble logging in. Gary, you sent the Cavas Hill Brut last year in the December 2009 Gary Vaynerchuk Club A. It sucked back then too. I scored it an 80/100 on corkd.com. Not a Cava fan.

  • lebo

    Try Rotari – great cava value play

  • ALLAN

    YEEEEHAAAAWWWWWW !!!!!

    GV in da hizzy…….. :OP

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: cali sparlking

    How many times has gary gotten pumped about a region and been disappointed by the wines on the show? Don’t worry, gary! Keep expanding palates!

  • Anonymous

    It will be champagne:Chantal Lallement . Price 13?(about18$). so, why Cava.

  • Meh, just like the cava.

    QOTD: N.V. Eric Rodez Champagne Cuvée des Grand Vintages Grand Cru

  • ALLAN

    Cava is OK by me.

    Qotd: Deutz NV.

    Cheers!

  • Posi

    I will be drinking some Pierre Morlet when the Bears crush the Jets this weekend.

  • BuUuUBbBbBbleZ! Wee! I just picked up my Cava yesterday, the Segura viudas Brut Reserva. Christmas Eve here we come. Hope it goes over well.

    Actually, on New Years Eve, I am taking a suggestion from someone on the board and buying a Belgium Ale for tasting. No worries. You shall know my by the trail of my bubbles. 🙂

  • QOTD: Cava – Gelida to be exact.

  • Anonymous

    Not a fan of the bubbles to be honest but as my lady loves it, I will go with a crémant de bourgogne, much lees expensive than champagne and very solid. There’s also a few american sparkling wines that are good at half the price of champagne, still a bit overpriced though as most US wines are.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Thinking about going local for NYE… with a Thibaut-Janisson from VA. Was served at the President’s first state dinner, so I figure it can’t be bad…

  • Anonymous

    The wife and I share a bottle of Cooks Brute just about every evening, and I expect we will do the same awaiting the New Year.
    Pretty boring, huh?

  • Anonymous

    Enjoyed the episode, have known of Cava and just have not gotten around to trying it.

    QOTD – will be on duty New Years as well and may have a sparkling wine the next week.

  • Anonymous

    Very nice wine out of Charlottsville. I think the wine served at the State Dinner was Thibaults FIZZ, which we found a little less structured than the T.J. But the FIZZ is also an excellent sparkler. with a comfortable price point. Either one, you can’t miss.

  • Randall

    Love the cava…

    So is there going to be an episode with
    domestic sparklers sometime soon, G?

  • Too bad your Cavas didn’t perform. I’m sure chilled like people would have them would help but it doesn’t help you tasting!

    QOTD. I’ll be in Spain so I’ll have a Brut Nature Cava from Barranco Oscuro. They are in Granada all the way in the South of Spain, but remember Cava is not a geographic area. The winery and vineyards are located at 4,500 ft above sea level. Pretty cool!

  • Anonymous

    Still looking for a demi-sec or sweeter. I may end up just skipping the bubbles, although that would make me a little sad. 🙁 So, I might try to find a Piper-Heidsieck Cuvee Sublime in time for New Years.

  • Randall

    Tripel! Ohhh, yeahhh…

  • hahaha… I thought he didn’t miss a beat. Too funny.

  • sandyloveswine

    I would suggest an Il Mionetto Moscato…that’s some good bubbly for $10.99.

  • that sounds awesome! I cannot wait till i start working (and I will) at a winery.

  • ahhhhhh the Morlet 🙂

  • u didnt like the episode?

  • 80….man i liked it more back then, u were right 🙂

  • Greyder28

    Prices of seats and chari models http://www.sandalye-fiyatlari.com turkis chair models 🙂

  • i noticed that too! 😉

  • Anonymous

    Come work for us, you can rack barrels until your heart is content.

  • Anonymous

    To bad the Cavas didn’t show better, just a bad batch , they’re usually pretty good.

    qotd; Cava, Prosecco, Grower Champagnes

  • Jaflaw

    Maybe you should have sampled a bottle of Barefoot Bubbly for Rex. What would Sir Gary say…?

  • That’s what I’m talking about! Now we’re talking and yes, Codorniu and Freixenet are definitely “old school.” I remember my boss always drinking Freix and I would call it the “Black Death.” I still can;t get over how a bottle of sparkling can make the trip over the pond and you sell it for less than 10 bones and still make a profit? Amazingly good show and “The Lib” looks as though its a shrine to wine. I need to make the trip soon.

    QOTD: I am going to find this any way I can for New Year’s. It has been a non-stop goal of mine. http://www.jansz.com.au/product.asp?p=238

    Cheers!

    P.S. Quit with the indirect, subliminal references to the Giants last week or give Mott his face time to redirect. This is a democracy. 😉

    P.S.S. Anyone have any Lamisil?

  • It’s not bad but very good. Try it, you’ll love it and I was told it was not the FIZZ but this one (orange label, similar to VC).

    http://www.newsplex.com/home/headlines/76419017.html

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