Sparkling Spanish Wine in OKC - 405 Magazine

Sparkling Spanish Wine in OKC

Wine bars have been popping off in OKC lately, from the esoteric stylings of The Study to recent additions like Tiny Bubbles and Backyard Vineyards.

Photo by: Rachel Maucieri

Wine bars have been popping off in OKC lately, from the esoteric stylings of The Study to recent additions like Tiny Bubbles and Backyard Vineyards. The expanding landscape is great news for oenophiles, providing fresh fodder for wine-lovers looking to branch out beyond the basics. Case in point: Cava has entered the chat. A Spanish sparkling wine, it’s commanding an increased presence on wine lists alongside more familiar staples like Champagne and Prosecco, offering a fresh alternative for connoisseurs and curious imbibers alike.  

“For me Spanish wines just exceed expectations,” raved Dave Osborn, co-owner of Symmetry restaurant and its newly opened sister spot, Two Doors Down Wine + Bistro. “In Spain, there are so many little wineries, and there are a lot of them, so they don’t gauge you. Cava is one of those wines where it’s just kind of exceptional, and it’s really fun to drink.” 

Photo by: Rachel Maucieri

Compared to more common sparkling wines like Prosecco, Osborn described Cava as having more of an edge to it, and more of an affinity for heavier foods. “Prosecco typically is gonna be on the sweeter side of things,” he said, calling the Italian bubbly more fruit-forward. “With Cava, you’re gonna get real crisp, bright flavors that come through.” Being less sweet enables it to pair with a larger variety of foods, from savory flavors and spicy Spanish dishes (“Cava cuts through the heat of any dish”) to dessert. “That’s the beauty of Cava,” Osborn added. “If you can’t find a wine that pairs with food, go with sparkling white.”

Two Doors Down offers a Blanc de Blanc Spanish Cava called Raventos, as well as Cava-friendly snacks like charcuterie, pizzas and Italian chop salads. Elsewhere, Cava can be found on wine lists all around town. Avinyo Cava Brut Nature is one of several sparkling wine options by the glass at The Study, while Blanchard Perez Cava shares top bubbly billing, alongside Prosecco, at The Jones Assembly. At Barrios, Cava is the house sparkling wine, offering a crisp counterpoint to wood-fired fajitas and queso fundido. Even Tellers, an Italian restaurant awash in Prosecco and spritzes, features a Brut Cava among its sparkling wines by the glass and bottle, and downstairs, The Library of Distilled Spirits rounds out its cocktails with flutes of Codorniu Cava. For an apt Spanish pairing, head to Riserva Bar + Tapas, where diners can match Spanish tapas with Spanish bubbly—in this case, bottles of Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava.

Want to find out who won Best Wine List in the Best Of 405 2024? Check out the list here!