Pata Negra Cava wine review

We received the product for review and all opinions are our own.

When you consider purchasing a bottle of bubbly, what do you buy? We often take time to consider purchasing a bottle of something with bubbles like Champagne, sparkling wine, Spumante, or Cava for New Year’s Eve or a special occasion. I would argue that there is good reason to go beyond New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, and those birthday and anniversary celebrations, to enjoy the craftmanship that goes into making these fabulous bottles, and why should we honestly put such limitations on ourselves? Bottles of bubbles are definitely worthy of being enjoyed whenever you feel like it. Additionally, when looking for a bottle, it’s important to consider trying something you may not be as familiar with to continue to expand your palate and explore international options. Spain is well known for being a nation that has its own version of bubbly called Cava.

I recently had the pleasure of tasting the 100% organic Pata Negra Cava from J. Garcia Carrion, and produced by Vilanova i la Geltrú (Barcelona). This Spanish beauty comes in a sexy green and white animal print bottle, with an enchanting ring cap depicting a lady enjoying her bottle amid a beautiful scenic outdoor backdrop. The bottle is both elegant and already comes beautifully decorated if one wishes to gift it to others.

The Cava pours with a rush of light airy foam of soft beautiful bubbles, and continues to produce the visual bubble show around the outer edges of the glass without fail for some time. If you like bubbles, this is a lively Cava that will continue to visually please. The bubbles on this Cava are also very tiny, offering a number of small effervescent trails along the outer rim of the glass. The color is light golden straw with little acidity yet tons of yeast on the nose.

This is a dry full bodied and structured Cava, without any residual sugars, so if you want something on the sweeter side, this is not the one for you. However, if you like the yeasty, toasty, brioche, and croissant variations that some sparklers provide, this has it going on and does not really change as it continues to breathe and warm up in the glass. This one is straight forward and is clean on the palate.

The dry Brut would be an ideal toasting option for an elegant affair, or just to enjoy when you want something sparkling to dance in the glass and accompany spicy dishes or a wide variety of desserts, as this will not overshadow your sweeter pairings. Ideally, you should serve and enjoy this Cava cold within 39-42 degrees Fahrenheit per the producer.

The grapes used to produce this are a trifecta of Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo grape varietals, which are the prized grapes for Cava production. These bottles are aged for a minimum of nine months in total darkness and quiet, allowing the Cava to experience a second fermentation in bottle before being released to the public.

Elegant and refreshing, this beautiful Cava is without fail a stunner in the glass. The price point for this bottle is very approachable at $14.99 retail, and is available at select retailers and online. Once purchased, they are ready to be enjoyed now, but may also cellar longer if you wish to purchase and hold on to them for a bit. If you love bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles, this sparkler is definitely packed with them!