Cava: Give it another try

Carefully made cava can equal any other sparkling wine.

The appeal of Spanish cava “has long escaped me,” said Eric Asimov in The New York Times. Yet recently that changed, when a vintage cava reminded me of “aged Champagne.” Carefully made cava, like those below, can equal any other sparkling wine.

2001 Gramona Gran Reserva Brut Nature III Lustros ($60)

A Champagne-like quality makes this vintage cava a bargain. “Rich yet gentle, with lovely, elegant flavors that develop with age.”

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2006 Naveran Dama ($23)

Not quite as bold, but a deal at the price, this “refreshing and exhilarating” bottle is laced with “racy herbal and fruit flavors.”

NV González Byass Vilarnau Brut ($16)

Best value. This nonvintage brut “was unmatched in its light, bright frothiness.”