The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 is a $6.99 Trader Joe’s import Bubbly using two of the three traditional Cava grapes, Xarel-lo and Parellada farmed in the Cava DO of northwest Spain, near Barcelona.
La Granja 360 translates to the Farm 360 and is a brand owned by Axial Vino, a Dutch company producing Spanish wine. La Granja 360 wines use grapes from a group of small local farmers or communes. The individual farms are too small to produce their own wines by themselves, but when they band together can produce wine in large quantities.
All La Granja 360 wines are very affordable, but they have very distinctive labels. The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 features a purple duck, the red blend has a zebra whose stripes are being painted red, and the Tempranillo has a flying pink pig.
All the La Granja 360 wines are vegan-friendly meaning no animal by-products are used in the production of the wine. They have their own animal adoption program and sanctuary for rescued farm animals and have a read-out on the environmental impact of their wine packaging and transportation system.
They are not your typical value-wine company, the Cava at $6.99 is their most expensive wine. While these Spanish wines are produced for export they are typical of the kind of wine the wine drinkers in Spain and most of Europe drink every day.
Countries that traditionally have wine for lunch and dinner drink affordable wines with their meal. I know in the United States some folks see a price tag well below ten bucks and think that the wine can not be any good. But they are wrong, this is the type of everyday wine that most of the world enjoys.
The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 is produced with the Traditional Method, the same technique used for Champagne. In Champagne, the second fermentation lasts at least 18 months while in the Cava DO lasts to go a minimum of 9 months.
The grapes used in Cava and Champagne are usually different and the Cava rules and regulations are not as strict, but Cava typically sells for a fraction of Champagne.
$6.99 is very inexpensive for a Traditional Method Sparkling wine, so is it any good? Let us head to the Tasting section to find out. The alcohol content is 11.5%.
La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 Tasting Notes
The color is pale gold with a flurry of energetic bubbles. The nose is lemon, green apple, and toasty bread, along with melon, coconut milk, and pear.
The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 is a crisp, east-to-drink Bubbly, not too complicated, but tasty.
It tastes of grapefruit, lemon, lime, tart apple, pear, and just a touch of spice. The mid-palate is not particularly different from the main body of the wine but does add a little sweet peach and stone fruit.
The acidity gives this Bubbly a bright, alive nature, but does not go over-board. Some inexpensive Cava’s can be acid bombs, but the La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 stays in control.
The Summary
- The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 is a first-class party Bubbly, 3 bottles for twenty-one dollars will get the party started.
- It tastes way better than any $6.99 Traditional Method Bubbly has a right to taste.
- The La Granja 360 Cava Brut NV 2020 is a very drinkable, Champagne-style Bubbly that sells for a ridiculously cheap price.
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