Sparkling Wine Basics

How It’s Made

During the process of fermentation, yeast cells convert the sugar in grape juice into ethyl alcohol, heat, and carbon dioxide. Still wine is typically fermented in open vats where the carbon dioxide can dissipate, but the gas can also be retained to produce a sparkling wine, and there are four primary ways to accomplish this. The first involves a simple injection of carbon dioxide gas into finished wine, the same method used to make soda. The second is known as the methode champenoise and begins with a base of still wine that is usually blended before bottling. The winemaker then introduces a mixture of fresh yeast and sugar into the bottle in order to trigger a second fermentation. In the sealed environment of the bottle, the carbon dioxide generates a great deal of pressure (about 5-6 atmospheres) and imparts an extremely fine bubble to the wine. Once the second fermentation is complete and the sugar is spent, the yeast cells perish and become lees. As the wine ages in the bottle, it essentially marinates on the lees, taking on additional texture and the autolytic flavors of toast and brioche. The methode champenoise produces the finest examples of sparkling wine, but the term itself is trademarked by the producers of the Champagne region of France; elsewhere, it is known as the “traditional” or “classic” method. The third method of sparkling wine production is called Charmat and involves a second fermentation that is carried out in a large pressurized tank. Because the tanks used in this procedure are much larger than individual wine bottles, the pressure generated is not as great (only about 2-3 atmospheres), and consequently, the bubbles are much larger in the finished wines. When this step is complete, the wine is transferred directly to bottle without any time spent on the lees, giving it a lighter, fruitier flavor profile than wines produced in the classic method. The fourth and final method is an ancestral process known as petillant naturel in which still wine is bottled during its primary fermentation to capture some of its “natural” CO2. This creates a wine with large bubbles, lower alcohol content, and a touch of sweetness.

Wines to Know

Champagne has long been considered the vinious embodiment of luxury and celebration. Made from blends of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, it can be made in white and rose styles, and can be labeled with a vintage date (indicating that all of the grapes came from a single harvest) or as a Non-Vintage/NV wine (indicating multiple vintages in the blend). That said, many people have a tendency to refer to all sparkling as “Champagne,” but this is a misnomer - true Champagne only comes from the eponymous region in North-Central France. Elsewhere in France, any sparkling wine made according to the traditional method can be called Cremant, and versions are made in most of the country’s major wine regions. Italy’s top sparkling wine is Franciacorta, which is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc in the Lombardia region north of Milan. Spain’s answer to Champagne is Cava, which is made from the indigenous varietals Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada in the North-Eastern Penedes region. In the New World, traditional method sparkling wine is also produced everywhere from the United States to South Africa and Australia. Italy produces the three best examples of Charmat method sparkling wines: Prosecco from the Veneto, the semi-sweet Moscato d’Asti from the Piedmont region, and the red Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna.

Serving Advice

Sparkling wine should not be chilled below cellar temperature (55°-60°) until you are ready to serve it, as extended periods of refrigeration can prematurely age the wine. Once you’re ready for service, sparkling wine should always be chilled to a temperature of 40°-45° F to bring out the flavor of the wine. This can be accomplished by placing the bottle in an ice bath for 2 minutes or in a refrigerator for 2 hours. Champagne is traditionally served in a flute-shaped glass with a tall and slender bowl that helps preserve the ribbon of bubbles. Prosecco and other lightly sparkling wines can be served in white wine stems to accentuate their aromatics. Food pairings include oysters on the half shell, caviar, shrimp tempura, and anything fried. Sparkling wines also have a wide variety of applications in cocktails such as the Kir Royale, French 75, and the Bellini.