¡Hoy vamos a celebrar yo! That calls for Cava and Ceviche de Tuna. The heat was on fire, my AC was broken, and to avoid turning on the stove, I made a quick ceviche! When it comes to celebrating, Cava falls under the sparkling wine category. A veces llamamos champagne a algún vino con burbujas, pero ojo, no todo lo que burbujea puede ser champagne (Often times, we call any bottle that has bubbles champagne, but all champagne can be called a sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wines can be called champagne). So what’s the main difference between a Cava and Champagne? The country it was produced from; Cava is from Spain, Champagne is from France. Ambos son excelentes opciones para brindar, cada uno con su propio carácter y sabor únicos. Además, el Cava suele tener un toque más seco que el Champagne, lo que lo hace perfecto para maridar con aperitivos y platos de pescado fresco.
Today, I just wanted to celebrate myself because I cleaned my house, paid my bills, have a stray cat, and each day I am living an intentional life, doing things that are meaningful and engaging to me. I strongly believe in celebrating little milestones, and grabbing a Cava bottle is a perfect option without spending a fortune to celebrate baby steps! We are all individuals with unique perspectives and aspirations, and as such, we each define and measure success in our own ways. For me, it is crucial to integrate activities and practices that keep me grounded and focused on my long-term objectives. Those practices include exploring Mexican recipes and pairing them with a nice glass of wine.
I paired this Cava with a ceviche de tuna because it is very versatile with food and pairs well with seafood! I used canned tuna, chopped tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, squeezed both lemon and lime, and added salt to my liking. I mixed all the ingredients together and put it in the fridge for a couple of hours before I opened the Cava bottle. I also added a little mayo to the ceviche and ate them with tortilla chips. Sometimes I make a sandwich out of it. This reminded me of my summer days back in California, where I would have street water balloon fights with the neighbors or came back from the local recreational pool hungry, and my aunt who took care of us had this ceviche ready for us! It’s easy, it’s simple, it’s healthy, and perfect for the heat.
Cava is a sparkling wine from Spain, made using the traditional method, just like champagne. The second fermentation happens in the bottle, creating natural carbonation. When I was trying to pick which sparkling wine I would take home, I was not quite sure why some bottles had “Brut,” “Extra Brut,” or “Extra Dry” on the labels. I learned that this was a classification; Cava is also classified by its level of sweetness, so when you see “Brut” on the bottle, now you’ll know what it means.
Sweetness Classification:
- Brut Nature: 0-3 grams of sugar per liter (no added sugar).
- Extra Brut: 0-6 grams of sugar per liter.
- Brut: 0-12 grams of sugar per liter.
- Extra Seco (Extra Dry): 12-17 grams of sugar per liter.
- Seco (Dry): 17-32 grams of sugar per liter.
- Semi Seco (Semi Dry): 32-50 grams of sugar per liter.
- Dulce (Sweet): More than 50 grams of sugar per liter.
Poema Cava is versatile and pairs well with a variety of dishes:
- Brut: Great with seafood, sushi, salads, and light appetizers
- Extra Dry: Pairs well with slightly sweeter dishes, spicy foods, and fruit desserts.
- Rose: Complements dishes with more robust flavors, such as grilled meats, and charcuterie.
For this pairing, I bought my first set of flutes! I would always see champagne served in a flute but never understood why. The tall and narrow shape of the glass helps maintain the bubbles and direct the aromas to the nose. In addition, the elegant design of the flute adds a touch of sophistication to any celebration. When it comes to serving Cava, the refreshing effervescence and delightful flavors are best enjoyed when the wine is chilled to perfection. Therefore, Cava is usually placed in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving to ensure it reaches the ideal temperature for a delightful drinking experience.
Wine Bottle Name: Poema Brut
- Grape: 40% Macabeo, 40% Xarel-lo, 20% Parellada
- Region: Spain
- Wine Style: Sparkling Wine
- Alcohol Content: 11.5%
- Medium – light Bodied
- Dry
- Medium Acidity
- Flavors: Fresh clean citrus, mineral and Granny Smith apple aromas with toasted bread notes
WineMadrina 