| If there is another type of wine that is more | | | | Bulk or Charmat Method: This is a far less costly |
| confusing, based on the questions I get, than | | | | method of making sparkling wine. Instead of the |
| sparkling wine; I do not know what that is. First | | | | second fermentation occurring in the bottle, all the |
| and foremost, sparkling wine is wine. Champagne | | | | wine is dumped into a pressurized container after |
| is wine. Sekt is wine. Cava is wine. Asti is wine. | | | | the first fermentation. The second fermentation |
| So in the interest of clearing the air and explaining | | | | occurs in a huge sealed container. Once the |
| it all in one fell swoop to my friends, I am going | | | | second fermentation is completed, the wine is |
| to explain what sparkling wine is in the short little | | | | bottled. The wine is second fermented in bulk, |
| article and have my friends all read it (all one of | | | | filtered, etc., and then bottled. It does not have |
| them). | | | | the distinction of being sold in the bottle it got the |
| I rattled off a number of terms and call them all | | | | fizz in. |
| wines. Most are probably familiar with Champagne, | | | | Bottle Transfer: This was a method used back in |
| which is sparkling wine from the Champagne | | | | awhile ago; I have not heard much about it of |
| region of France. Sekt is from Germany. Cava is | | | | late. Basically it is a less expensive version of the |
| from Spain and Asti is from Italy. Most countries | | | | traditional style. One of labor intensive aspects of |
| and regions have their own terms, in fact "fizzy" | | | | the traditional method is called "riddling." Basically, |
| wine from other parts of France have their own | | | | the wine is held upside down in a rack and a |
| terms; but for this article, let us keep with just | | | | person methodically gives the bottle a quarter |
| these major terms. | | | | turn over and over again. The objective is to get |
| I am not looking to present a detailed dissertation | | | | all the dead yeast accumulating from the second |
| on sparkling wines here, but I do want to convey | | | | fermentation down to the cork. It is then |
| enough information for someone to be able to | | | | disgorged, typically they flash freeze the cork and |
| discuss sparkling wines intelligently. Sparkling wine | | | | dead yeast before popping it out. A little dose is |
| is table wine with carbon dioxide in it. The | | | | added and recorked. With this third method, that |
| different between quality sparkling wine, the | | | | whole riddling is not done. Once second |
| cheap ones, and soda is how the carbon dioxide | | | | fermentation is done, it is all dumped into vat |
| got into the drink in the first place. | | | | where it is filtered and so forth before being |
| Carbon dioxide is injected into a beverage to | | | | bottled again. So, technically it is bottle fermented |
| make a carbonated drink. In sparkling wines, the | | | | but just not in the bottle it is sold in. |
| carbonation comes from naturally produced | | | | But none of these sparkling wines are to be |
| carbon dioxide that is not allowed to escape. | | | | confused with all the fruity, wine like products out |
| There are basically three methods. | | | | there that is carbonated. All those flavored wines, |
| Traditional or Methode Champenoise: After the | | | | whether malt based or not, have carbon dioxide |
| initial fermentation, the wine is bottled with a dose | | | | injected into it. |
| of yeast and sugar. Inside that bottle, a second | | | | Champagne is the gold standard. Essentially made |
| fermentation begins. During this second | | | | from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and |
| fermentation, the carbon dioxide cannot escape. It | | | | Pinot Meunier, these wines have rich, creamy |
| becomes a part of the wine naturally creating | | | | yeasty feel to it. The tiny bubbles gently tickle |
| that beautiful, soft fizz with all those tiny little | | | | and caress unlike the injected stuff. |
| bottles. In fact that is a measure of a great wine | | | | Lastly, sparkling wines are not really sweet (some |
| made in with this method; it has tons of tiny, tiny | | | | Italian Asti's excepted) but for labeling purposes, |
| bubbles. The opposite end would be the huge | | | | the sweeter ones are labeled sec and move to |
| bubbles in a soda. Back to the this method; once | | | | extra dry to brut with brut being most dry. |
| the second fermentation is complete, the sparkling | | | | Again, the intent was not to do a brain dump but |
| wine is sold in that very same bottle. It is an | | | | just to provide an overall scheme of what |
| expensive method. | | | | sparkling wine is and how it is made. |