The cat has been let out of the bag: cava, or Spanish sparkling wine, is fine and tasty stuff.  It is incredibly affordable and definitely drinkable.  While slightly sweeter than some other styles of sparkling wine, it clacks the cloying nasty tones of such budget favorites as Cook's and Andre.  Though it starts at about twice the price of those stalwarts of swill, the jump in quality is startling.  Today we wish to bring your attention to a couple of the old favorites of the Luxury Nouveau team. Priced at under $10, they are delicious, very drinkable, great for mimosas, and in our humble opinion a finer everyday value than any true champagne.

The first is Cristalino Brut Cava, a wonderfully accessible wine that is readily available for under $9 per bottle. This particular cava has been deemed so drinkable that our tasting staff has been known to drink it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—sometimes all at one sitting. Cristalino Brut was rated 91 by Wine & Spirits, and richly deserves it.

When one becomes bored with Cristalino, one can perhaps turn to Segura Viudas Brut Reserva, another excellent sparkling wine. Perhaps some might say this wine isn't quite as exciting as the previous, but it would be really tough to say. It pairs marvelously with orange juice in a mimosa, which then turns it into the perfect breakfast beverage which can hold its own against whatever questionable concoction is coming off the griddle. This wine can also usually be found for under $9 per bottle.