Merry Christmas; Let's Celebrate with Cava #WorldWineTravel

 Merry Christmas Eve Everyone.  Whatever your plans are for this evening a bottle of bubbly always makes for a better celebration.  I know when people think of bubbly, Champagne comes to mind followed by the price tag and the decision to forego the sparkling wine.  

There are tons of sparkling wines out there that I daresay are just as good, if not better, than those from Champagne, France.  Some come from other areas of France but many come from other countries and some of my favorites come from Spain where they are designated Cava.

Research shows that the only difference between Cava and Champagne is the location where it is made.....oh, and of course the price as well.....that is a huge difference.  Here is what The Spruce Eats has to say:

"Spain's traditional sparkling wine, called cava, derives its name from the caves in which the wine is aged. It is a traditional method wine, meaning it is produced using the same process employed to produce Champagne, which leads to high-quality bottlings."

This Cava Brut from Gran Baran was a lovely pairing with the Asian Flavors of these Shrimp and Pork Roll Lettuce Cups. This bottle is very price friendly at less than $10.  It is crisp, bright and dry with lots of bubbles to tickle the nose.  

Some people believe it is all about location, location, location but I am of the belief that I want the best quality for my dollar and so if that means getting a nicer house in a less prestigious neighborhood that is exactly what I am going to do and if it means I can get 10 bottles of a lovely sparkling wine for the price of one bottle designated Champagne....I think I would be crazy to pass up the opportunity.  

We have been visiting the wines of Spain all year long with our World Wine Travel group and it has been a wonderful adventure.  During this final month we were allowed to feature any Spanish wines we chose and I wanted to revisit this wonderful sparkling wine so that my readers have plenty of time to stock up for the holidays.

We will not be gathering for chat tomorrow as we will all be enjoying family on Christmas Day.  I want to thank all the members of World Wine Travel, especially David of Cooking Chat who is hosting this month, for a wonderful year exploring Spanish wines.  

If you have some free time stop by and see what wines from Spain the others chose to wrap up the year.  

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm is getting in the spirit wIth "Merry Christmas; Let's Celebrate with Cava"
• Deanna from Wineivore is comparing "Albarino from Monterrei vs. Monterey + Monterey Bay Cioppino"
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass will be "Revisiting tried and true Rioja"
• Terri from Our Good Life shares "5 Great Wines from Spain Perfect for Gift Giving"
• Jeff from Food Wine Click! is confessing "Shh! Cream Sherry is My Guilty Pleasure"
• Martin from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog is "Commemorating Setbacks and Success with Bodegas Tradición Palo Cortado VORS|"
• Gwendolyn from Wine Predator…Gwendolyn Alley will be sharing "5 Garnacha from Spain with Spicy Spanish Pairings"
• Lynn from Savor the Harvest is "Ending the Year with Wine Family Suertes del Marqués in Tenerif"
• Nicole from Somm's Table will be "Re-introducing Cava!"
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla is pairing "Mushroom Soup with Manzanilla Sherry"
• David from Cooking Chat is pairing "Steak with Carrot Top Chimichurri and Spanish Wine"

I look forward to next year as we delve into the wines of Australia.  Hope that you will join us on the 4th Saturday of each month as we do.  Cheers and Merry Christmas Dear Readers.....See you on Sunday when I share a wonderful dip that will be perfect for any upcoming celebrations during the 12 Days of Christmas.