I've finally managed to curate a collection of sparkling wines in my wine cabinet that I'm proud of. I've worked (drank) my way through all of the middle-of-the-line proseccos and sparklers (with help of course), and have avowed myself to being more discerning when selecting sparkling wines. During a recent wine shopping trip, I came across the above bottle of Mercat "brut nature" cava from Barcelona.
The wine seller was quite helpful in assisting with my selections, and eventually directed me toward the brut nature. He informed me that the Mercat brut nature contains a zero-sugar dosage--essentially, it's a bone-dry cava. Over the years, I've tended to go through phases in regards to my libation(s) of choice. And there certainly was an extended period when I was always reaching for cava. But, I eventually found cava to be a bit too dry for my taste (and once I'd discovered dry proseccos, I eventually made the switch). Yet, my husband is inclined to dry cavas, so I thought I'd give the Mercat a try.
When we tasted the wine several days later, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I'd enjoyed it! And as I had thoroughly expected, it was indeed bone-dry. But additionally, it was a very refined cava. In fact, of all the cavas I'd tasted... it's the closest that one has ever come to tasting like champagne.
Perhaps it's high time I rediscover cavas!