2018 Dominio de la Vega Brut Reserva Especial Cava 750 ml

Our Master Sommelier, Sur Lucero, has tasted and poured the best of the best at places like The French Laundry and Daniel Boulud Las Vegas—and he’s not given to hype or hyperbole. He lets the wines do the talking.

So when he strolled into our tasting panel with the 2018 Dominio de la Vega Brut Reserva Especial in hand, we knew we were in for a treat.

What we got was one of the most impressive Cavas we’ve tasted for the money.

This is Spain’s answer to top grower-Champagne, a 96-point sparkling stunner that achieves a spectacular level of quality. Made from two estate-owned vineyards in eastern-lying Utiel-Requena, it’s “a classic, really well-made, Cava,” according to the Decanter World Wine Awards judges. “Pure and delicate with huge complexity and a lifted persistence on the finish.”

After maceration and gentle pressing, part of the base wine is fermented in French oak, beautifully rounding the Reserva Especial’s edges. Factor in two years of aging on the lees plus additional time in bottle, and you've got a rich and full bubbly boasting tremendous levels of complexity and finesse.

A family-run winery dedicated to traditional Cava production, Domino de la Vega’s vineyards sit at altitudes reaching up to almost 3,000 feet above sea level, while the climate experiences seesaws between brutal winters and sunny summers—ideal conditions for growing world-class Cava.

The winemakers draw on two vineyards for the Reserva Especial cuvée: La Vega, an alluvial terrace that’s home to 30-year-old Macabeo vines that make up 70% of the blend, and Finca Pinarejo, which contributes the Chardonnay.

Handcrafted from the vineyard to the cellar, this is an expression of Cava that demands serious attention.