The pop of a champagne bottle is synonymous with celebrating a special moment or take you back to the fantasy of The Great Gatsby where fountains of sparkling wine spilled over for guests to enjoy. As delightful as it might seem to have a bubbly that is also potent, it helps to know that the carbonation in sparkling wines mostly occurs naturally through fermentation in the bottle or must be introduced artificially. Made from a variety of grape types like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Glera – these wines come in a variety of styles ranging from dry to sweet, and showcasing various flavour profiles.
Largely produced using two key methods – the Traditional Method and the Tank Method, the traditional method involves a secondary fermentation that takes place in the bottle, whereas in the tank method, the secondary fermentation occurs in a large pressurized tank rather than in individual bottles. Once the initial fermentation process is complete, a mixture of sugar and yeast is added to the base wine before the bottle is sealed with a crown cap. Sparkling wines come in various styles depending on where they are produced around the world.
Champagne
Produced in the Champagne region of France, champagne is one of the most famous types of sparkling wine. Made using the traditional method or méthode champenoise, where a secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle, champagne can be made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and even Pinot Meunier grapes.
Prosecco
Hailing from the Veneto region in Italy, prosecco is a sparkling wine made primarily with the Glera grape. Unlike champagne, prosecco is produced using the Charmat method, where secondary fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks. Known for its fruity and floral notes, prosecco can be an brut (extra dry) wine with a sweetness – making it an ideal dessert wine.
Cava
Originating from Spain, Cava is made using traditional methods and often incorporates native grape varieties such as Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo. The wine is known for its crisp and dry characteristics, produced mainly in the Catalonia region. This sparkling wine variety is a relatively more affordable bottle compared to champagne, with a fruity and floral flavour profile.
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Crémant
Crémant is a term used for French sparkling wines produced outside the Champagne region, since the production of the latter is meant to be a process exclusive to the region. Different regions in France – such as Alsace, Bourgogne and the Loire Valley, produce crémant using their own grape varieties, similar in method to champagne, with slight fundamental differences. With a bold fruit aroma, the wine has a zestier and crisp flavour – ideal to pair with dishes that are fatty.
Sekt
Beyond reisling, Germany also produces a sparkling wine variety known as Sekt. Produced using both – traditional or tank methods, from various grape varieties including Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris, sekt tends to vary in quality and levels of sweetness. Favoured as a local drink that is highly popular, sekt was created by German winemakers as a way of borrowing inspiration from champagne.
Moscato d’Asti
Hailing from the Asti region in Piedmont, Italy and made using the Moscato Bianco grape, asti or Moscato d’Asti is known for its sweet and fruity flavour profile, produced using the Charmat method. Traditionally meant to be a sweet wine with low alcohol content between 5-6%, the process of creating this wine involves fermenting grapes at low temperatures to develop a light sparkle in the dessert wine.
American Sparkling Wine
An accidental production that occurred in Ohio, high-quality sparkling wines from America are rising to popularity. Available in a range of styles as a result of many wineries using their own spin on traditional methods, as well as the differences in grape varieties employed, American sparkling wines like the Domaine Carneros and Roederer Estate are nuanced and relatively more complex in flavour.