| Wine snobs tend to look down on sparkling wine. | | | | produced in every wine growing area. Each retains |
| They compare it unfavorably to Champagne. But | | | | the qualities of its own region. |
| sparkling wine is not a poor substitute for | | | | Cava is the white or sometimes pink sparkling |
| Champagne. There are many sparkling wines that | | | | wine from Catalonia in Spain. It is produced by the |
| are good wines in their own right. They just do | | | | natural secondary fermentation process that |
| not happen to be made in Champagne. | | | | produces Champagne. It was first made in the |
| Only wine made in Champagne by the method of | | | | nineteenth century when the phylloxera virus |
| Dom Perignon can be called Champagne. But | | | | destroyed the red grape vines of the area. |
| many wines are made by the same method | | | | Growers turned to the local white grape varieties |
| elsewhere. | | | | that were of the brut type used in Champagne. |
| Dom Perignon was a seventeenth century | | | | Cap Classique is a similar Champagne type wine |
| Benedictine monk. Yes, the Benedictines also | | | | from South Africa where it was first made by |
| invented Benedictine brandy. Dom Perignon set | | | | Huguenot settlers. From Italy, comes Asti which is |
| out to solve the problem of re-fermentation that | | | | a somewhat different sparkling wine. It is sweet |
| afflicted wine makers in this period. What | | | | and low in alcohol. |
| happened was that sugars which had not turned | | | | Sekt is a German sparkling wine that is made by |
| into alcohol began to re-ferment in the spring | | | | a different method to the Champagne method. |
| when the dormant yeasts came back to life. This | | | | There are numerous sparkling wines produced in |
| cause corks to blow out and bottles to explode | | | | America where California has led the increasing |
| as the carbon dioxide built up inside the bottle. | | | | popularity of sparkling wine. They are usually |
| Sparkling wine harnesses that process of | | | | produced by the Champagne method. |
| secondary fermentation and traps the carbon | | | | Even Britain is producing its own sparkling wine. |
| dioxide in the bottle. That is what causes the wine | | | | Global warming has some benefits. |
| to fizz and sends it spraying all over racing drivers | | | | The advantage of this proliferation of sparkling |
| when they shake the bottle. | | | | wines is that a wine that was once a rare treat |
| For more serious wine drinkers the carbon dioxide | | | | has now become accessible to many. Sparkling |
| adds a special flavor to the wine. It makes it | | | | wine can now be drunk as part of any meal and |
| lighter and more refreshing. As an added bonus it | | | | not just to celebrate the great life events. Yet |
| also reduces the calorie content. Sparkling wine is | | | | sparkling wine retains its ability to give an extra |
| less fattening than ordinary wine. | | | | festive air to any occasion. |
| Some sparkling wine is produced by bubbling | | | | Sparkling wine is often more attractive to people |
| carbon dioxide through the wine. This gives a | | | | who are not used to drinking wine. Those who |
| similar effect but does not produce the same | | | | find most wine dry will probably like an Asti. The |
| flavor as naturally produced carbon dioxide. When | | | | other advantage of sparkling wine is that when |
| buying sparkling wine always look for one in which | | | | guests have to drive it is often better to offer a |
| the carbon dioxide has been produced by natural | | | | low alcohol alternative. Sparkling wine really fills a |
| fermentation. This wine will be sure to offer the | | | | niche in the modern market for a light, refreshing |
| best characteristics. | | | | and not too intoxicating drink always seems |
| There is a wide range of naturally fermented | | | | special. |
| sparkling wines to choose from. They are | | | | |