SPARKLING WINES

Question 1

Explain in simple steps the methods of production; Traditionel, Charmat, Ancestral, etc.

Answer 1

Carbon
Carbondioxide is pumped into the tank or bottles -> min 3 bar.

Asti / Dioise (1870s)
basewine ferments in stainlees steel tanks - filtering - bottling with some yeast remaining -> 7-8.5 % abv (min 4 months sur lie) - dégorgement - filtering - new bottles -> min 35 g/L RS - 4 bar

Pet Nat / Metode Ancestrale (1531)
bootling before fermentation has finished - fermentation continues in bottle - crown cap - sediments -> 2-4 bar

Transfer (1940s)
Blend basewines - dosage - 2nd fermentation bottle - cooling - transferred to tank - filtering - dosage - bottling - 5-7 bar

Tank / Cuvée close (1907)
harvesting - pressing - fermentation dry white - dosage - 2nd fermentation in closed tank - bottling under pressure -> 2-4 bar

Traditional (1662)
Harvesting by hand - pressing - fermentation dry base wine - assemblage - liqueur de tirage - bootling - 2nd fermentation - min. 15-36 months - remuage - dégorgement - liqueur d´Expédition - storage 4 months -> 5-6 bar

Question 2

What special terms is good to know in traditional method production?

Answer 2

Debourbage =
clearing the must by using bentonite or gravitation

Assemblage =
blending base wines

Remuage/riddling =
turning the bottles to collect yeast in bottleneck

Dégorgement = cooling to -28C, ice with sediments releases (by hand, called a la Volée)

Dosage / liqueur d´Expedition =
Sugar and wine to balance the wine.

Sugarlevels in Champagne

brut nature 0-3
extra brut 0-6
brut 0-12

Extra Dry 12-17

sec 17-32
demi-sec 32-50
doux 50+

Question 3

Name some alternative appellations for sparkling wines

Answer 3

Burgundy Crémant de Bourgogne

Alsace Cremant d´Alsace

Aude Crémant de Limoux (Carcassonne)

Loire Cremant de Loire (Anjou, Touraine)

Rhône Crémant de Die

Question 4

Name some sparkling wines from new world countries

Answer 4

ZA:
Traditional method (Cap Classique) fx
Klein Constantia Estate Brut

NZ:
Traditional method fx
Kim Crawford Small Parcels Fizz

AU:
Traditional method, tank method fx
Josef Chromy NV Tasmanian Cuvee

US:
Traditional method, tank method fx
Mumm Napa, California or
Argyle Winery, Oregon

CA:
Traditional method fx
Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2012 Cipes, Blanc de Blanc, British Columbia

Question 5

What wines, methods and varietals are used in major wine countries?

Answer 5

FR:
Champagne
CHA, PNN, PNM, CHB, Mauzac)

ES:
cava (1872)
MAC, PAR, XAL

DE:
sekt (transfer)
RIE

IT:
prosecco, moscato, franciacorta (1961), labrusco (charmat, asti, traditionel)
GLE, CHA, PNN, PNB, MOS,
Grasparossa, salamino, sorbara (Lambrusco)

UK:
sparkling (traditionel)
CHA, PN, PNM

US:
sparkling (1856)
CHA, PNN

ZA:
Cap Classique (traditionel)
PNN, CHA, PNM, CHB

NZ:
Sparkling (Transfer)
PNN, CHA

AU:
Sparkling (transfer)
CHA, PNN, SHI