What is SPARKLING WINE
09/01/2023 / admin
What is Sparkling Wine?
Sparkling wine has many names, asking what is sparkling wine called renders distinct answers in different countries.
The king of sparkling wines is Champagne, which we will cover later on. Yet, we can say that many winemakers imitate the Champagne making style or Méthode Champenoise.
Here, the wine is fermented twice, once in a vat, and another in the same bottle sold to customers. That’s what makes it special.
Sparkling wine has a beautiful golden color (some varieties are white or light pink) with a light alcohol content (about 7-14%), aromatic fruit flavors, always chilled before opening, suitable when served at temperatures between 3-100C.
What is sparkling wine and Champagne?
Let’s now talk about Champagne, the finest wine in the realm of bubbly wine.
Champagne is made in the Champagne region in France. And only wine coming from this small area can be called Champagne. If you’re asking what is sparkling wine, we could tell you that all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
The wine is made with the famous grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, and collectively, they create a myriad of combinations, making all bottles of Champagne taste slightly different.
Champagne Houses are respected worldwide, and they all have their own unique style. This means you might enjoy one more than other. The secret behind each label is blending. As if each Champagne was made with a secret formula. A single bottle of Champagne can be the blend of over 100 specific wines, and that’s where no other sparkling wine can compare to Champagne.
What is the typical taste of sparkling wine?
As discussed in the “What is sparkling wine” section, sparkling wines have a distinctive, recognizable flavor.
- Aroma: When holding a glass of sparkling wine, it can evoke aromas of fresh pickled apples, spiced apples, ripe pears and “raw bread”, plus flavors from yeast when fermented in the second stage of the winemaking process.
- Taste: Apple, pear, citrus, strawberry, cream and vanilla (usually aftertaste), yeast and hazelnut flavors are almost typical flavors in Sparkling wine. There are two popular flavors for sparkling wines: one is the aroma of ripe fruit in the mouth (this is a recent style of sparkling wine concoction); The second is a richer cream, yeast and hazelnut flavor of the older style.
Levels of Sweetness in Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine has four main levels of sweetness, which are often printed directly on bottle labels. These levels are:
- Extra-Brut: The driest style of sparkling wine. In these wines, the yeast has consumed absolutely all of the sugar, so there is a complete absence of sweetness in the wine.
- Brut: This is the most popular type of sparkling wine. These wines are dry, but do show a hint of sweetness. Champagne is the most common sparkler to be labeled Brut.
- Extra Dry: This type of sparkling wine is also dry, though sweeter than Brut or Extra-Brut. Prosecco is the most notable example of sparkling wine produced in the Extra Dry style.
- Demi-sec: This is a sweet sparkling wine with noticeable sugar content — perfect for pairing with dessert.
Sparkling wines are classified based on the amount of sugar in the wine
Famous Sparkling Types
+ Champagne: Originated in France, serving weddings and big parties
+ Prosecco: originating from Italy, fruity, sweet taste
+ Cava: comes from Spain, has fruity (orange, lemon) and floral flavors, less sweet than Prosecco
+ Cremant: originating from France, has a strong creamy flavor
+ Rosé: originating from France, pink, fruity, served at birthday parties
+ Sekt: originating from Germany, fruit and flower flavor, serving anniversary parties
How to serve Sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine is only delicious when served cold
Waiters or Bartenders should note a few requirements when serving customers ordering Sparkling wine:
– Sparkling wine is only delicious when drunk cold, with a temperature of about 3-7 degrees Celsius, it is best to marinate this wine in ice.
– Serve with champagne saucer or champagne flute
– Quickly close the cork immediately after pouring the wine into the glass because the air bubbles will evaporate very quickly when the lid is opened (due to exposure to air).
– Note when combining sparkling wine with ordered dishes. Strong sparkling wines are suitable for main courses, lighter sparkling wines for snacks, sweet sparkling wines are suitable for spicy dishes…