Cava is the bubbly of Spain…more specifically it is sparkling wine made by the traditional method within Spain.  So, yes, all cava is theoretically Spanish, just as all champagne is theoretically from Champagne.  I don’t know of many new world sparkling wine producers that are taking the cava name, so cava has less of a problem with definitions.  Cava, unlike champagne, is not made in a specific region of Spain, but rather in five different regions…though in practice 95% of all cava is made in Cataluña, its birth place. 

The holiday season, with its lengthy and varied meals, is the perfect moment to try many different styles of wines.  Holiday meals also offer a challenge with regards to wine matching:  it’s tricky to find a wine to match so many flavours. 

During the holiday season, I’m going to rate the wines I’m choosing for my clients and my family.   The holidays here in Spain are like a marathon, the festivities don’t end on New Years…we have a whole other round of big meals for the Epiphany holiday on 6 January!  The flavors for the holiday meals are different here, but just as challenging….fish and lamb are common, though you can find turkey as well.  Shellfish, cured meats, and foie all play important roles.  

This is a matching I had to do for El Mundo newspaper here in Spain. They picked 5 champagnes and five chocolates and had me match them. Four of the pairs matched up naturally, the final one was a bit trickier, mainly due to trouble matching any of the chocolates with the Piper Heidsieck. Following is the rite up I did for them…with a few modifications!