Cava
Spain

$19.95 (168559)

An intriguingly nutty version of cava from the less common region of Rioja (95% of cava comes from the Penedès region), which tastes indeed like white Rioja with bubbles, complete with coconut and yellow fruit flavours. Acids are bright and crisp, and the finish reveals plenty of yeasty-autolysis notes and a curious but intriguing cheese rind character. Very good structure and depth all around. An atypical example to be sure, but well worth the detour for those who enjoy barrel-aged champagnes. Score: 89 (John Szabo, MS, WineAlign.com, Jan 2013)