Mas Codina, Cava Brut Nature Gran Reserva 2021

An easy recommendation to make—this is one of our favourite bubblies.

Cava, you may be glad to hear, is unrealistically inexpensive and is not sufficiently prized—almost entirely because of historical errors in marketing it to the world. This is a traditional method wine, produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle and demanding just as much care and skill as the sparkling wines of Champagne. However, because local grape varieties are used, in this instance alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and because of the specific geology and climate of Catalonia, Toni Garriga's Cava Gran Reserva is a wine with a character and finesse all its own.

Because of its very low residual sugar level: less than 3 g/l, the success of the wine depends completely on the quality of the fruit. Pure, fine aromas of hay and apples announce a clean, crisp effervescence that is ideal for toasts and receptions; but this cava has the depth, from a minimum of three years' cellaring, to prove an excellent dining wine for all kinds of cuisines. Try a bottle with a roast chicken dinner or a paella and taste for yourself what a serious food match it can be.

Situated in the heart of the Alt Penedès - a privileged subregion protected from the elements by two mountain ranges, 40 hectare Mas Codina is a boutique, family-owned company dating from 1681. It uses only estate-grown fruit.