Have you tried Da Luca Prosecco? The Italian sparkling wine Prosecco has exploded in popularity over the last decade or so. These cheap and cheerful wines are beloved throughout the wine-drinking world, in large part because they offer a considerable saving when compared with Champagne. You can get a bottle of Prosecco for a fraction of the price of a top Champagne.
Of course, Champagne and Prosecco are really very different drinks, made in different ways and arguably with different consumers in mind. For the price-conscious consumer that values fun and conviviality over technical winemaking, Prosecco will win hands down. There is one sparkling wine that has the dual advantage of superior winemaking techniques and favourable prices, and that’s Spanish Cava!
Fans of Da Luca Prosecco and similar wines should read on, as we’ve laid on three top Cava wines that we guarantee you’ll love!
Why you should drink Cava instead of Da Luca Prosecco
Cava, like Champagne, is made using a costly and labour intensive process called the traditional method. In a nutshell, the wine undergoes two separate fermentation, the second of which takes place in the bottle. The second fermentation gives the wine its sparkle, and the process overall produces wines that have character, complexity and nuance.
Da Luca Prosecco, and many other inexpensive sparkling wines, are produced using a process called the tank method. This is a cheaper and quicker technique, whereby the second fermentation takes place in large sealed tanks. Costs are lower, so the finished wine is cheaper. Great. The process is simpler and does not usually allow for yeast autolysis, a process that gives Cava or Champagne yeast flavours. The wine is cheaper, but it is also considerably simpler and less interesting.
With expensive, complex Champagne at one extreme and cheap, simple Prosecco at the other, Cava presents a happy medium. With Cava, you benefit from the traditional method without paying the price. Ditch the Da Luca Prosecco, then, and try one of our top alternatives!
3 Cava alternatives to Da Luca Prosecco
Great Cava doesn’t have to cost a fortune, you just need to know what to look for. We’ve picked out three of our customers’ favourites, and we’re sure that you’ll love them, too! Even better, they’re all available for less than €10!
- Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva is our best-selling Cava, and it’s easy to see why. Available even cheaper than Da Luca Prosecco, this Cava serious overperforms for its price. Fresh, dry and fruity, this also has layers of complexity that you simply won’t find in a Prosecco. Try this one with Thai fishcakes.
- Jané Ventura Reserva De La Música Brut Nature 2013 is made in the Brut Nature style, which is increasingly popular among wine lovers today. This is absolutely bone dry and has excellent acidity that’ll leave your mouth watering and wanting more. At 90 points from Robert Parker, this really should cost a lot more than it does! Served with oysters, this is sensational!
- Roger Goulart Brut Nature Reserva is another Brut Nature Cava, and perfectly exhibits the buckets of complexity with which a simpler wine like Da Luca Prosecco simply cannot compete. This is perfect to serve with just about any appetisers or small plates you can think of, as its acidity provides a great match for a wide variety of foods.
Have you ever tried Da Luca Prosecco? Will you try one of our recommendations instead?
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