Style Sparkling Country Spain Price $9
Vintage tasted NV Grapes Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada
Website www.freixenet.com

Overview Know how to pronounce Freixenet? Well, with three wines in this year’s Wine Trialsand two in the last, it’s worth learning: “Fresh-eh-net” (the word is Catalan). This wine may be Spanish, but for the second year in a row our blind tasters mistook it for a Champagne—its toastiness, yeastiness, and funky aromas are distinctly French. It’s worth trying it with slightly spicy foods, as the sweetness creates a nice balance and soothes the mouth.

Nose It’s stinky and yeasty, with the sharp green apple that is a Cava trademark.

Mouth As usual with extra dry sparkling wines, there’s some sweetness here. But the balance is impressive, especially for this price.