While names like Segura Viudas, Jaume Serra, and Codorníu might get all the attention, it doesn’t mean they’re they only Cavas on the market.  Fortunately, the other cavas, like Dibon Cava Brut Reserve, are also priced at reasonable levels around $10.  Do they bring as much value as their comparatively priced brethren?

Sight:  Light gold with plentiful bubbles

Smell:  A bright combination of underripe apricots, grapefruit, and yeast all play nicely together.  Touches of honeysuckle and white peach all hang around the edge.  The bready notes are whimsical, and play around behind the fruit.

Sip:  The minerality is strong here, and wet stone and dusty roads are present off the bat.  The carbonation is powerful, giving a rough texture to a medium mouthfeel.    Notes of white pepper, unripe apricots, and ground cherries all come into play with a strong citrus backbone.   Ginger notes add spice.

Savor:  The ending is brief, but some of the underripe stone fruit and spice notes play through the finish, leaving a bit of stone fruit finish.

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve is packed with interesting stone fruit flavors and spices.  The value is amazing giving the complexity of spicy ginger and pepper notes mixing with unripe apricots and fresh peaches.  If there’s any detracting notes, it’s the aggressiveness of the carbonation undercuts the mouthfeel slightly.  That being said, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve is simply fantastic, and offers fantastic value for the money, and easily drinks like a $15-25 bottle.

Verdict:  White Pepper, Apricot, Peaches, Medium Body
Price: $10
Penedes, Spain