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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


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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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  • Nerd it up?
    That have never gotten me any ladies, you are so wrong dude. To nerdy just scare them away 🙂

    I do like the store.Is it possible to taste wine and not just buy?
    If I ever have the chance I will visit. But NJ is a long way away.
    QOTD: Going Cremant de Bordeaux this New Years, I think. The girl might change that to Blanc de Blanc when she get’s hold of my wallet …

  • Anonymous

    GARY!!!!!!!!!
    Love Cava drank it when I was in Spain often..but strangely havent had any since then..
    And..I love the bubbles!!

    WineLibrary looks great..

    We ball on the holidays..lolol Cristal..DP..every year..all the time..without fail..Its kinda why some of my friends drop by early for a bit to visit with my family out of “respect”..LOLOL THEY WANT THE BUBBLES! LOLOLOL

    Love you Gary..
    Happy Holidays.
    mmmwwwwaaaaa
    PS..ummmm.. you know the Jets won..just sayn…
    Its like the Spanish version of Prosecco! 😉

  • 🙂 Yeah right. An NFC team that has beaten, let’s count ’em, one team with a winning record? Homie don’t think so. Jets will spank them like a newborn.

  • Anonymous

    Whoa..that was weird… more Disqus weirdness? LOLOL
    I was trying to say below..that Cava is like the Spanish version of Prosecco…somehow that line dropped to the bottom…

    Annyywwaaaayyyyy…… Off to do something productive.
    xoxoxoxo

  • Greyder28

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

  • QOTD: I am going local with the Argyle 2000 Late Tirage!

    Thanks for the tour of Wine Library, I only get a chance to tour online since I live in Oregon. Love the Cava and I just had some Segura Viudas cava a few weeks ago!

  • Good one!

  • First off Gary… WHAT!?!?!? Your store is amazing!! I had no idea, I had no reason to, that it was that great looking. I only saw that it was two floors of delicious goodness known as wine! I just recently got engaged, last weekend actually and we’re celebrating tomorrow with a ’02 bottle of Dom P. Really excited about trying it again. I’ve had the 1+1=3 before and I wasn’t too blown away by it either. I was more of a fan of Charles de Fere than 1+1 but that’s just my opinion. My fiancee would love either one…as long as it’s cut with OJ.

    QOTD: I think we’re going with Cupcake Vineyards Blanc de Blanc sparkler. And at $15 bones it’s tough to argue when we’ll definitely be popping a couple of bottles with friends.

    Let’s get to that 1000!!!!

  • Anonymous

    Sorry about the showing on those other Cavas. I had the Gramona 2006 — it was okay but did not really overly excite me. Maybe the 2007 is better.
    QOTD: I have had several bottles of 2006 Jean François Mérieau Touraine “Bulles” from the Loire — have really fallen in love with it. Might not be considered too complex but it is just plain delicious.

  • Anonymous

    wtf? random chair advertisement? Yo mottster, can you boot this SpamTard?

  • TheGreatWazu

    After this video about Gladys Night and the Pips I think I’m gonna go with Gladys~I usually buy Moet and Korbel for New Years. Thanks for the tip. BTW Did you know that you could probably do stand-up?
    Oh…Lou from MB Mngmt says “hello”. He’s our very close friend. He was telling us funny stories about you and Sasha and how he had to shorten the building by 4 feet, re doing the duct work, having to re-lay out the room with the arches and much more and how the original store stayed open the whole time. He had only good to say about you guys. Hope you’re around on Jan 14 for VM lunch. Another great episode Gary. Happy Holiday to you and yours.

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: maybe some 2005 Majella Sparkling Shiraz if it’s going that way!

  • I’m all about the sparkling Roses this New Years! I recently tasted a Cab Franc Brut Rose from the Loire called Bouvet…D-Lish! And for $15.99, my pocket and my guests are happy! Plus it’s pink, so the ladies love it!!

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Chateau Montaudon Extra Dry Champagne, Brice, and some other Grower Champagnes. Would love some Pommery Cuvee Louise. Maybe you’ll get some in and put it on special for New Year’s.

  • Alexandre-CF

    Hey Gary, GREAT show. You rox dude.

    QOTD: First An Cava Pere Ventura Tresor Brut Nature and a Billecart-Salmon Brut reserve

  • Anonymous

    In this show, Gary re-created in 16 minutes my entire experience with Cava over many years. To me, the stuff is uniformly meh, at best. The bubbles don’t last, the taste is one dimensional (if that), and there is no excitement. I think cava, prosecco and asti spumante are all a waste of time and money if you want to drink sparkling wine. Sure, they’re less expensive, but whether you’re drinking a sparkler for an important occasion, or you drink it more often, including with meals, it ought to be special. To me, these wines never are. GV says that the Gramona stands up to many of the French NVs, but that’s not my experience with cava and I think he should taste them side by side before being sure. There’s a lot more going on in a bottle of Pol Roget Brut NV than in any cava I’ve ever had, including some that cost more than Pol Roget Brut NV. I probably don’t drink enough sparkling wine, so when I do I’m often prepared to pay more than this per bottle. If I am entertaining a large number of people and want something festive but priced like these, I think that if you are selective you will do better with U.S. sparklers, the non-champagne French sparklers, and Italians like Trentinos and inexpensive Franciacortas than you will with cava, prosecco or asti spumante. And I think you get better wine and the same festiveness, plus a great food match, with the terrific Lambruscos on the market, even the best of which will rarely set you back more than $20 (although I realize that many do not share my enthusiasm for Lambrusco). And the prices of good champagne have not risen as fast as still wine. There are a couple of GREAt Rose Champagnes at WL for less than $60, and a pretty good one (Moutard, 91 Galloni) for $29. Why play around with Cava?

  • Anonymous

    Rhodenbach Grand Cru would be perfect. The Deus is the ultimate new years beer that I have tried however. Aromas of Bay leaf, sage and rosemary with a little yeast and malt flavor that somehow is crisp at the end. Amazing “beer”.

  • Anonymous

    He does not get excited easily GV do not sweat it. If you had all the favorite guests on WLTV history on the same show he would still say “meh”, when he capitalizes Meh, you know it was a decent show.

  • Anonymous

    they should make you honorary spam police, your always on top of it mattgman!

  • Anonymous

    Great show, I did not mind the two awful showings, that episode was thoroughly entertaining. The store looks great! Keep the mobile WLTV episodes coming!

    QOTD: I do not believe I will bust out the expensive stuff for New Years. I am going to my friends cabin, don’t think his friends will dig the expensive or unknown bubbles. Although I might get a bottle for myself and anyone who wants to try it out!

  • Anonymous

    For the $40 a bottle DeuS is selling for around here, I just couldn’t recommend it to anyone. Actually, for a good, brut champagne analogue I tend to go with a gueuze. Drie Fonteinen makes a fantastic one, though at around $20 a bottle it’s a little under twice the price of Lindeman’s Cuvée René, which is also exceptional.

  • First thank you Gary and Mot for showing some of the Library. Great. Dont know yet for the New Year and a start of a new decade. Paul Blank.

  • Anonymous

    It is pricy, that much is certain. Thanks for the info, I will check out the producer you mentioned! Happy holidays!

  • NY Pete

    ho ho

  • Anonymous

    Great, classic episode of WLTV. I’ve had a few bottles of German Gilabert Cava recently which have been spectacular for the price. They also make a Rose Cava which is similarly delicious.

  • Coolio: Gangsters Paradise

    QOTD: prosecco

  • Anonymous

    I plan to drink pink as well! I have a bottle of Odyssey Rose Brut from Gray Monk ready for action this new years. Champagne method and Champagne grapes (Gamay and Pinot Meunier). Very tasty for a little known winery in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley!

  • Anonymous

    As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
    I take a look at my life and realize there’s not much left
    coz I’ve been blastin and laughin so long, that
    even my mama thinks that my mind is gone

  • Ian

    cool to see the shop Gary,

    QOTD: I’m on a prosecco binge the last few months probably bring that to Christmas dinner

  • Randall

    Consider this a ‘check’ in the “want to try it out” box… You know it’s not like I won’t at least Attempt to bring some thunder from the cellar (aged ales and new/aged wines) to keep up…

    🙂

    castello? LisaS? Bueller? Bueller? C’mon, people. We Eventually need to have a meeting of the minds here in Nor Cal… Holidays are a good excuse, ya know…

  • Randall

    Oh my!! She knows her beer, too!! Deus is $30ish here in the Sacramento region, and overpriced for sure. True, it IS an absolutely amazing beer, but there are plenty of other Belgians around for half the price that are as good or better. There is also a new ‘Vintage’ Rodenbach (all aged, not blended with a younger beer) available for under $20 that I would recommend to anyone who likes sour beers. I’m thinking it will Easily last for over a decade… Maybe two? And the Quelque Chose from Unibroue, a cherry ale, which will age spectacularly for 20 years at least, is going for $10 to $15, which is an unbelievable steal for something of this quality.

  • Anonymous

    Sparkling wine plans for new years will have to be whatever they are serving at alinea. pre-new years though maybe will get a tattinger, since it was apparently really good this year

  • Randall

    heh heh heh…

  • Randall

    Totally agree! btw the cellar seems to be bursting out this year…
    ;P

  • NY Pete

    N.V. Gérard Loriot Champagne Brut

  • Anonymous

    Any time man, just let me know.

  • BuBbLeZ!!!!!! 😀 Weeee!

    We ladies do love the bubbles. *hic* Pardon me. 🙂

  • Blanc de Blanc is deserving of your wallet. BTW. Thanks for the comment post. 🙂

  • Exactly…Sparkling Pointe perhaps?

  • You know I’m going for it!

  • @chukheadted Interesting….cali sparkling…me likey

  • FU Disqus. That is all.

  • Randall

    Are you kidding me? I live in Nor Cal. The home, outside of France, (and maybe Italy, Spain and Portugal in Some instances) of sparkling vino…
    Lawn Giland is nice, but I’ll stick to our NorCal sparklers, thank you…
    ;P

    A-Hole Disclaimer: I haven’t actually HAD Sparkling Pointe wine, so how would I know? 🙂

  • Anonymous

    QOTD: Not exactly sure at the moment.
    My other comment is about your BIG ASS STORE! Holy SH*T, Gary! I can’t wait to visit!
    Have a Merry Christmas!

    Phil Anderson
    http://www.generalwinethoughts.com

  • Anonymous

    There is one thing you both forgot to touch on. Although I agree to your points of there being better tasting, more complex Belgians out there; none of them taste like the DeuS. That beer does not taste like beer to me, and it is for its uniqueness alone I seek it out. Each and to their own, I must beat the drums of the GV motto.

  • Anonymous

    cava does not come from around Barcelona, its a non bordered doc, anywhere cava is made is doc cava, so it can be made anywhere in Spain!!!!!!

  • Anonymous

    p.s. I really like cava, I don’t think champs when I drink it, so I don’t compare them.

  • Anonymous

    Gamay? You ARE talking about Champagne FRANCE, right??

  • Anonymous

    Cava doesn’t excite me. That’s being generous. It can be tolerated, in its time and place – if that’s what ‘they’ are serving somewhere, then that’s perfectly fine. (I’m kind of the same way w/ Prosecco). That sad news having been said, actualy, this past summer, while dog sitting, I popped a Frexeinet, and really enjoyed it, simple pleasure that it was!

    QotD – Grower. And there’s a bottle of Feuillatte laying around that has to go. (I like them.) And vow, that I will , at some point in life, buy a bottle of Palme d’Or, cause it’s tasted better ‘n the usual suspects in that range, every time I’ve had it.

  • Anonymous

    Hey, have we had the ’09 Lapierre yet? The NV C-T is nice fizz, and will, of course, blow pretty much any Prosecco or Cava off the table (as will pretty much ANY decently-made Champagne), but Gimonnet is a Chardonnay specialist and quality across the board for their entire line is very high for the money. They own several plots in the village of Cramant with vines that are 99 years old. Their “Gimonnet Collection” cuvee is the flagship (only available in magnum) but possibly the greatest value is “Fleuron” – a vintage BdB of the highest class and that ages exceptionally well (recently drank the ’96 Fleuron, which was creamy, rich with yellow fruits, and toasty – and would probably easily last another 8-10 years in a cold cellar). Cheers.

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