Sparkling Wines Flashcards
Bubbles in sparkling wines are created by…
Carbon dioxide gas (CO2)
How do bubbles get into wine?
- Force carbonation (used for low quality, inexpensive wines);
- As a by-product of fermentation (used for most premium-quality sparkling wines)
What are the 2 types of secondary fermentation used for quality sparkling wines (and add some examples)?
Tank Fermentation, e.g. Prosecco
Bottle Fermentation, e.g. Cava and Champagne
Base wines can be a blend of…
- Grape varieties
e.g. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - Vintages
- Vineyards
CO2 gas that’s created during secondary fermentation – how is that captured so that it stays in the wine?
By occuring in a sealed vessel, be it a tank or a bottle.
What is the most common and highly regarded variant of the “bottle fermentation”?
Traditional method
Define autolysis
Gradual breakdown of the lees (yeast sediment).
What are some of the autolytic flavours found in traditional method sparkling wines?
Biscuit, bread
What 3 grape varietals make up the base wine of Champagne?
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
What is the climate of Champagne region?
Cool
Describe the taste profile of a typical non-vintage Champagne.
Dry
High acid
Notes of apple
Light autolytic flavors (bread, biscuit)
How do the grapes destined for sparkling wine in Catalunya, which has a warm climate, retain their acidity?
Grapes are harvested early.
Besides Spain and France, name some other countries that make Traditional Method sparkling wine.
South Africa
USA
Australia
New Zealand
Which technique is more cost effective, Traditional Method or the Tank Method?
Tank Method (used for Prosecco)
The Tank Method is more cost effective because the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in large tanks instead of individual bottles, and filtration and disgorgement are done in mechanized, big batches.
What Italian region does Asti DOCG come from?
Piemonte.
Asti DOCG is a sweet, fruity and light-bodied wine from Piemonte.
