Step Aside Prosecco: *This* Is The Drink Of Summer

There’s a new bubbly on the block.

Each year as the mercury rises and we peel ourselves off the couch, away from Netflix and reclaim our social lives with beach days, BBQs and rooftops bars, one drink always seems to stand alone as the drink of the season. Ahem, Aperol Spritz or frosé anyone?

In summer it seems you can’t hit up a bar or scroll your Insta-feed without seeing them boomerang-ing all over the place. But while trends like frosé may come and go, there’s one drink that stands the test of time when it comes to quenching that summer thirst, and that’s a good old glass of bubbles.

But this year there’s a new bubbly on the block, forget Champagne or sparkling wine, and Prosecco is so last season, because this year it’s all about taking your taste buds on a trip to Spain with a chilled glass of Cava.

Cava is to Spain what Prosecco is to Italy and Champagne to France. Originating in the Penedès region of Catalonia, Cava cannot be called Cava without adhering to strict rules and is known as “Denominación de Origen” (DO) which means it must be bottle fermented by way of “Method Traditional”. This is the same method used to make the best French sparkling wine and must be produced within the specified geographic border. Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel·lo are traditionally the most popular grape varieties for producing Cava.

For those of us that tend to find Prosecco a little too sweet our their liking, Cava tends to be more dry (but not overly so) and well-rounded while still remaining easy on the palate.

So now to the *really* important stuff, like how best to enjoy it? Cava is best served chilled and is perfect when enjoyed as an aperitif or thanks to that subtle dryness it carries perfectly into dinner plans and pairs well with fish, rice or white meat.

So if you’re now officially craving a Cava, why not pop a bottle of Campo Viejo’s Cava Brut Reserva which boasts an aroma of fresh apples, floral peach and pear with hints of bread yeast and the best bit? It will only set you back a cool $27.

Campo Viejo are one of Spain’s most exciting winemakers to watch, utilising a state-of-the-art experimental winery to trial new grape varieties and winemaking techniques in order to develop exciting new expressions of Spanish wine. And with our love of travel and experiencing other cultures ever on the rise, they’re making it easier than ever to experience a taste of Spain right here at home.

Consider your new summertime sip officially sorted. You’re welcome.