The Good Housekeeping Institute conducted a thorough testing of 20 cava bottles from supermarkets and leading brands, serving each chilled and blind to eliminate brand bias. Their search was for crisp, clean, well-balanced Cavas with delightful notes of apple, citrus, and brioche.
Here are their top recommendations for 2023, complete with ABV, prices, scores, and suppliers:
- Tesco Cava Rosado – Best Rosé Cava
- Price: £6 (Tesco)
- Score: 83/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- Vibrant pink, bursting with strawberries and raspberries.
- ASDA Extra Special Mas Miralda Cava Brut – Best Cava
- Price: £7 (ASDA)
- Score: 82/100
- ABV: 12%
- A refreshing and zingy cava with notes of lemon zest, peach and pear, complemented by light grapefruit and blossom.
- Co-op Cava Brut – Runner-Up Cava
- Price: £7 (Co-op)
- Score: 78/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- A rich and creamy cava made exclusively from the macabeo grape, featuring toasted brioche, tropical fruit, and lemon shortbread.
- Aldi Contevedo Cava Brut – Best Budget Cava
- Price: £5 (Aldi)
- Score: 77/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- A simple yet well-balanced cava with delicate blossom, lemon, and stone fruit flavours.
- Waitrose Blueprint Cava Brut
- Price: £8 (Waitrose Cellar)
- Score: 76/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- A well-rounded cava with sourdough, fig, peach, and orchard fruit notes, boasting plentiful bubbles.
- Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava
- Price: £8 (Amazon, with a 27% discount)
- Score: 76/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- Known for its crisp, fruity profile with a saline edge and bright citrus, perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
- Cune Cava Brut
- Price: £17, or £9.99 when buying six or more (Majestic Wines)
- Score: 76/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- A clean, crisp fizz with lemon sherbet and a hint of minerality, ideal for sunny days.
- Segura Viudas Cava Rosé Brut – Runner-Up Rosé Cava
- Price: £12 (Slurp.co.uk)
- Score: 76/100
- ABV: 12%
- An intense fruity cava with strawberries, gooseberry, and red currants, complemented by citrus, great as an aperitif.
- Lidl Arestel Cava Brut
- Price: £6 (Available in-store at Lidl)
- Score: 75/100
- ABV: 11.5%
- A crowd-pleasing cava with lemon drops and white blossom, offering effortless drinking.
