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We think the sound of a cork popping is one of the
most fabulous sounds in the world ! Who doesn’t like a cold
glass of the fizzy stuff from time to time ? But do you really
know what goes into producing your favourite tipple ?
We explain the main differences between the top four
biggest selling regional sparkling wines and also
throw in some interesting facts. Iechyd Da !
The resulting sediment in each bottle then
needs to be removed in an almost identical
process to champagne. The bottles are
then topped up with a small amount of
base wine and sugar, referred to in Spain
as the ‘Licor de Expedición' - again, like
champagne, it is this varying amount of
sugar that determines the final dryness or
sweetness of the cava.
CHAMPAGNE
In a nutshell, only sparkling wine that
originates from the Champagne region of
France can be called ‘champagne’, and
there are strict regulations that govern
the process determined by the Comité
Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne
( CIVC ). This process is called the ‘Methode
Champenoise’ and dictates that only grape
varieties grown in the region may be used
for wine production, and the second
fermentation must take place in the bottle
for a minimum amount of time. This is
what sets champagne apart from all other
sparkling wines.
Every champagne house has it’s own
unique blend that can be made up from
many of its base wines and from different
grape harvests. This is what determines
the final character of the champagne.
Once the wines are blended, a mixture of
wine, sugar and yeast is added. This is
called the ‘Liqueur de Triage’, and kickstarts
the secondary fermentation. It is at this
point the wine is transferred into bottles,
and a crown cap is added ( just like on a
beer bottle ). Bottles are stored ‘Sur Latte’,
on their sides, in a cool place for anything
between 2 weeks and 3 months.
There are 3 main grape varieties used for
champagne - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
and Chardonnay. After harvesting, the
grapes are pressed in a ‘Pressoir Coquart’.
Each press holds up to 4,000 kg of grapes,
and produces approx 2,500 litres of juice
( the first 2,000 litres are considered the
best juice from the grape and is called the
‘Cuvee’ - the remaining juice is called the
‘Taille’ ). The juice is then passed into a
vat or barrel for the first fermentation that
removes all the natural sugars from the
grape juice creating a ‘dry’ wine.
When the secondary fermentaton is complete,
the bottles undergo a process to move the
sediment to the top of the neck, called
‘Remuage’, or riddling. This can be done by
hand ‘En Pupitre’ (a heavy hinged wooden
frame ) or with a computer controlled
machine called a ‘Gyropallette’ that handles
500 bottles at a time ! Bottles are then
stored ‘Sur Point’, inverted, before the
sediment is removed by a process called
‘Disgorgement’. Non Vintage (NV)
Champagne is required to remain in the
bottle during this stage for a minimum of
15 months, although it can be longer.
The next stage is to skillfully combine
these still wines together to create the
base wine, and is termed ‘Assemblage’.
Sediment is removed by firstly freezing the
neck of the bottles, then quickly upturning
and releasing the cap. The pressure in the
bottle ejects a small ice block containing
the sediment, along with a little wine.
Bottles are then topped up with a sugar
solution, called the ‘Dosage’. It is the
amount of sugar added at this stage that
determines the sweetness or dryness of
the final champagne.
The last thing to do is apply the cork and
wire cage and it’s ready to drink. Vintage
champagne stays in the bottle for longer
and is far more expensive, although Non
Vintage champagne should ideally be
consumed within a year from purchase.
CAVA
Spain is the world’s second biggest producer
of sparkling wine, just behind the Champagne
region of France. The majority of cava is
produced in Catalonia - the most famous
being the Alto Penedés region near Barcelona.
There are three main grape varieties used
to produce cava - Macabeo, Parellada and
Xarel·lo ( although other varieties such as
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can be used
to produce Champagne style copies ).
These different grape varieties then follow
an almost identical process to champagne,
but known as the ‘Methode Tradicional’.
The grapes are soft pressed, then a first
fermentation takes place in vats or barrels.
These base wines are then blended for the
next step in the process called ‘Tirage’.
The wine is then bottled, and a mixture of
white wine, sugar and yeast is added to
each bottle. This is called the ‘Licor de
Tirage’, and it’s this that produces the
fizz. Bottles are then laid on their side in
dark conditions at a temperature of 15°C
to age for approx 9 months.
PROSECCO
This ever increasingly popular sparkling
wine from the Veneto region in northern
Italy is named after the small wine
producing village of the same name, a
suburb of Trieste. ‘Glera’ is the local grape
variety used in prosecco and can be traced
back to Roman times.
Just like champagne and cava, the pressed
grape juice undergoes a dry fermentation.
The next stage is the main difference, as
there is no fermentation process in the
bottle. Secondary fermentation takes
place in large steel enamel-coated tanks,
the wine obtaining its fizz from being
bottled under pressure in a continual
process. This is what is referred to in Italy
as the ‘Charmat’ method. Although the
village of Prosecco ( which incidentally
used to be called Puccino ) is noted for
being the birthplace of this sparkling
wine, you will now find it being produced
all over Italy.
CRÉMANT
Many other regions in France produce
very notable sparkling wines made in
exactly the same method as champagne
(although they are not allowed by law to
be called champagne ). However, the
regulations governing the production of
crémant are less stringent. The grape
varieties, and the amount of time governing
secondary fermentation in the bottle,
only differ slightly.
Thankfully, for the consumer, this doesn’t
affect the quality of the wine in any way,
as a good crémant can match a non-vintage
champagne in every way. And the most
notable plus point for us consumers is the
more affordable price tag.
Love NOSH says: Please Drink Responsibly
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