Producer: Roger Goulart.

Grape composition: The usual suspects for Cava with a rose bloom attitude.

My notes: I had no idea when I got three bottles of these, that I would indeed be pleasantly surprised at its deep rose color (almost bordering to red). Very clean, clear, crisp and served chilled with seared bay scallops, carmelized onions, steamed peas and french bread toasted with Basque cheese was a fantastic combination. I loved the bubbly with it slight sweetness that is usually missing from white cava's.

Buy Factor: Oh! Yeah! At $18.99, a definite buy.

Cost: $18.99 a bottle.

Notes from Menotomy: This super-affordable Jumilla is a blend of  92% Monastrell (Mourvedre) and 8% Garnacha (Grenache) and received 90 points from Robert Parker in his February online issue. Jumilla was one of the few places in Europe spared during the Phylloxera epidemic of the late 1800's. Virtually everywhere on the continent, vineyards were devastated and, to this day, can only be planted on grafted hybrid-American rootstock. For Jumilla, the key to its vineyards' survival was their sandy soil - which is anathema to the Phylloxera insect. And as a consequence, today Jumilla not only has some of the oldest vines in Spain, but certainly the largest number of ungrafted vines. Bodegas Olivares's vineyards are in the northernmost zone of La Hoya de Santa Ana. This is the coolest subzone of Jumilla, with sandy, lime-rich soils that produce intensely aromatic wines

Grape composition: 92% Monastrell (Mourvedre) and 8% Garnacha (Grenache).

My notes: Ok! I admit I went to taste the Cotes de Castillon (which was shown along with this wine) and this one simply blew me away! Cotes de Castillon was awesome, but this was beyond awesome. Perfectly deep red (almost black), with beautiful deep garnet edge. Plums, cheery sweet, with a very yummy grenache notes. Pair this with what? Too 'complete' to share with anything else on the table.

Buy Factor: Oh! Yeah! At $13.99, a definite buy.

Cost: $13.99 a bottle.

Ferret, in the Penedes region, Spain is another fantastic Cava cellar, I did not get a chance to visit this place. But on my last day in Spain, accompanying some great Tapas, I splurged on this one.
 
If Freixenet was great, then this was a better than great Cava and that much more expensive. With a gorgeous, pale yellow color, fruity aromas, smooth (real smooth) almost buttery and very crisp clean finish and a little almondy taste at the end.

Buy Factor: Great Sparkler, loved it. If I do find it, then I am getting it for sure.

Freixenet, in the Penedes region, Spain, is one of the most popular Cava (Spanish Champagne/Sparkling wine) producing winery. In my recent trip to Spain, I had the privilege to tour their facility and taste some of the their wines. I must say I was amazed to see the grape vines of Xarello and Macabeo, and see the whole process of making the sparkling wines and then finally 7 storeys deep and several square acres of cellars. While we were there, we tried this wine.

Cordon Negro Brut is in a word, FANTASTIC! Absolutely great. So many bubbles, so little time. Served chilled, in the Freixenet labelled flute, it blew me away. This was the Cava that accompanied most of my dinners in Spain. Sometime, I also purchased 1/4 bottles to savor in my room, as a dessert. Very fruity, but dry and clean and crisp. It is a perfect wine for a warm summer day.

Buy Factor: Almost anytime, at about $10 a bottle, it is an incredible buy!

Number of times already had this wine or gifted it:
1. Lost count in Spain
2. Opened this wine for my departments spring offsite to toast celebrations
3. Brought this wine as gift to Dan & Li for taking care of my kitties when I was in Spain
4. Opened this wine for my Tapas and Cava night with friends

Freixenet, in the Penedes region, Spain, is one of the most popular Cava (Spanish Champagne/Sparkling wine) producing winery. In my recent trip to Spain, I had the privilege to tour their facility and taste some of the their wines. I must say I was amazed to see the grape vines of Xarello and Macabeo, and see the whole process of making the sparkling wines and then finally 7 storeys deep and several square acres of cellars. While we were there, we tried the Cordon Negro Brut. I could not decide what to bring back with me, and finally settled on the Reserva Real. I had not tried that, but if this graces the Spanish Kings table, then I guess it can definitely work for me.

Reserva Real was a gorgeous, pale colored, and extra dry sparkler and plenty of bubbles! I loved it. It was very clean finish. I took this to my trip to Yonkers and we opened this fantastic Cava on night. I think my sister and brother-in-law liked it too.

Buy Factor: Great Sparkler, loved it. It was expensive in Euros (26 Euros), and I have not seen in my recent research around US cellars. But, if I do find it, I might be pursuaded to buy it.