Sparkling Wines

Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is a wine containing carbon dioxide, giving it the signature fizziness most people associate with it. The bubbles may come from natural fermentation, secondary fermentation in the bottle, the Charmat process, or by direct injection of carbon dioxide. Sparkling wine is generally found as a white wine or rosé, however there are plenty of examples of red sparkling wines such as Brachetto and Shiraz. There are also semi-sparkling wines, which is related to the pressure inside the bottle prior to opening. For full-sparkling wine (the standard type), this is about 5 – 6 times atmospheric pressure, while semi-sparkling wine is only 1 – 2.5 times atmospheric pressure. The sweetness and flavors can vary based on the grapes used and addition of sugar after natural fermentation. Bottles are appropriately labeled according to the sugar content.

This list can be used to approximate how sweet the various sparkling wines are based on residual grams of sugar per liter for bottles produced before July 14, 2009:

 Brut Nature or Brut Zéro (no added sugar): less than 3 grams  Extra Brut: less than 6 grams  Brut: less than 15 grams  Extra Dry, Extra sec, Extra seco: between 12 and 20 grams  Dry, Sec, Seco: between 17 and 35 grams  Demi-sec, Semi-seco: between 33 and 50 grams  Doux, Sweet, Dulce: 50 grams or more

This list can be used to approximate how sweet the various sparkling wines are based on residual grams of sugar per liter for bottles produced after July 14, 2009:

 Brut Nature or Brut Zéro (no added sugar): less than 3 grams  Extra Brut: less than 6 grams  Brut: less than 12 grams  Extra Dry, Extra sec, Extra seco: between 12 and 17 grams  Dry, Sec, Seco: between 17 and 32 grams  Demi-sec, Semi-seco: between 32 and 50 grams  Doux, Sweet, Dulce: 50 grams or more

Champagne (sham-payn)

This sparkling wine is produced from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France (yes this wonderland truly does exist). It is made by using secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to give it carbonation and thus the ever-desired bubbles we all love. While it is commonly used as a generic reference for sparkling wine, Champagne is meant to describe sparkling wines that are exclusively from the Champagne region in France. The grapes used to produce Champagne are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. Interestingly enough, royalty throughout Europe had a hand in spreading the message of the sparkling wine from Champagne, France, and it began to be associated with luxury and power during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The major producers of Champagne invested quite a lot of energy and money into marketing the wine with an association to royalty, nobility, and luxury, and the outcome of their investments can still be seen today as Champagne is commonly sold as very expensive, high class sparkling wine while nobody questions the clearly overpriced nature of its existence. The types of champagne are Prestige cuvee, Blanc de noirs, Blanc de blancs, and Rosé Champagne (commonly referred to as Pink Champagne).

Characteristics of this wine:

 Sweet, with Brut as the most common style (see sparkling wine description for designations related to residual sugar content)  Dry  Flavors depend on types and concentrations of grapes used in production  Alcohol content between 12.5% and 13.5%

Prosecco (pro-SECK-o)

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine which is generally sold as brut, dry, or extra dry, and it is only produced in Italy. It comes in a full-sparkling (spumante) or semi-sparkling (frizzante, gentile) style, and is produced using the Charmat process which helps drive its price down however Prosecco spumante will generally be more expensive than frizzante. It is quickly becoming a low cost alternative to Champagne since it is quite similar in character, and it can be found making its way into cocktails such as the Bellini, Spritz, and Mimosa. Since Prosecco does not ferment in the bottle like Champagne, it is recommended for consumption as early as possible (within 3 years), however high quality Prosecco can be aged for roughly 7 years.

Characteristics of this wine:

 Intense aromas and very crisp  Yellow apple, white peach, apricot, and pear flavors  Rich taste  Very sweet while distinguishably fresh and light  Alcohol content between 11% and 12%

Cava (kah-vah)

Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine, produced exclusively in Spain, and comes in either a white or rosé style. To be a true Cava, the wine must be produced using the champenoise traditional method, otherwise it may only be called sparkling wine. Roughly 95% of all Cava is produced in Catalonia, and the two major producers are Codorníu and Freixenet. Prior to European Union laws preventing use of the term, it was frequently referred to as Spanish Champagne, and is still commonly referred to as champaña in the colloquial sense. Cava is a very traditional wine in Spain, and it is often consumed at marriages, banquets, parties, baptisms, and holiday dinners. Cava in its white form may contain Macabeu, Parellada, Xarello, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Subirat grapes. In its rosé form, it may contain the white grapes listed previously as well as a small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, or Monastrell.

Characteristics of this wine:

 Best aged between 2 to 4 years  Flavors of green apple, pear, flowers, or even oak and mushrooms.  Sweet  Alcohol content between 12.5% and 13.5%

Next we'll discuss light red wines.