Sparkling Wine Essentials
Vintage image sourced from SFGate
Bubbles! Effervescence captured in a bottle. Just the sound of a cork popping is enough to inspire a cheer…even though ok, fine, these days I carefully & quietly pop those bottles. And not just because of proper etiquette, but because emergency room visits from poorly popped bottles are a real thing. Safety first, folks. Keeping a grip on the cork once the wire cage and foil are off and carefully twisting the bottle (not the cork) while holding it at a 30-45° angle pointed away from faces and breakable things is not just fancy, it’s smart.
Champagne usually comes to mind first when we start talking about sparkling wines, but this tasting will include 5 other classic styles so that you can get into what makes each style distinct and decide which you prefer.
Stuff to know
“Come quickly, I am drinking the stars!” said Dom Pérignon when he discovered Champagne as we know it today. Supposedly. Reality, per usual, was slightly more complex. Dom Pérignon did contribute significant technical advances to winemaking in Champagne, such as a technique used to make white wines from red grapes. But he didn’t invent modern Champagne. No one really knows who figured out that a second fermentation in a container that can capture and withstand pressure will create a sparkling wine.
The Dom didn’t actually want any bubbles in his wines. At the time, a second fermentation (or re-fermentation) in a bottle of wine was quite literally dangerous. If you’ve seen 2023’s Widow Clicquot, you might remember a scene where Madame Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot races into the cellar to try to save their hard-earned vintage as stacked bottles erupted, glass flew and her husband screamed at her to get out and protect herself. Before secondary fermentation was controlled and understood (one of several processes that the Veuve Clicquot herself later innovated upon and refined), sparkling wine cellars were incredibly dangerous places to work.
Over the years, many innovations have continually improved the process of making sparkling wines, not least of which included vast improvements in the quality and thickness of wine bottles’ glass, so that they’re able to consistently withstand captured pressure. And the pressure is real. Roughly 70-90 pounds per square inch, or 5-6 bars of pressure. That’s 2-3 times the pressure in your car tires. So no, I wasn’t kidding about safety first when popping bottles.
There are several methods commonly used to produce sparkling wines, but the most important ones to understand for this tasting are:
Traditional method
(AKA méthode traditionelle, méthode champenois or metodo classico)
This method is often considered to be the most prestigious, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best. The most distinctive aspect of this method is the lees aging, which gives these wines a particular flavor and style. When you visit Champagne houses or other sparkling wine producers who use traditional method production, the tour will usually include an explanation of this process. If you go on enough tours, you will know this process inside out. You’d think this would get boring, and maybe for some people it does, but for me, seeing each producer’s particular take on it is endlessly interesting.
Essentially, this method includes a second fermentation that happens inside the same bottle that you buy. There are many variations on the theme here process-wise, but in its simplest form, wines will undergo a first fermentation in some kind of vessel - tank, barrel, concrete egg - and then be moved into individual glass bottles. The wines might undergo malolactic fermentation, aging and/or blending before being moved into those bottles, but eventually, they’ll all get something called liqueur de tirage: a mixture of wine, sugar, yeasts and clarifying agents that kicks off the second fermentation in the bottle. As the wine ferments, yeasts convert sugar into alcohol and CO2 is released. Since the CO2 has nowhere to go, it creates pressure. And bubbles!
Next up is the lees aging. I know it sounds gross, but when the yeasts run out of sugar to eat, they either hibernate or die and become “lees.” At this point in the process, bottles are stored horizontally “sur latte” and capped with temporary crown caps while the lees does its thing. How long they stay this way depends on how long the winemaker wants to (and can afford to) leave them. Most wines stay on the lees for exactly the length of time legally required, but some stay longer, even up to a decade or more. The longer they stay on the lees, the more the flavors change. Think less fresh fruit and more bread-y, toasty, nutty flavors.
When a winemaker is ready to stop lees aging, the bottles are moved from their horizontal stacks into either riddling racks (less commonly used today) or gyropalettes, which are cube-shaped cages that slowly rotate and move a group of bottles at angles similar to those on riddling racks. Gradually, as the wines are twisted and rotated, the lees will move down to the bottle’s neck. Once it’s all gathered, the bottles are dipped upside down into frozen brine, freezing the yeast sediment so that it can be quickly extracted without disturbing the wine’s pressure. This is also when liqueur d’expédition is added, usually a mixture of wine and sugar. The sugar in the mix is known as dosage, which can balance acidity or sweeten the wine. A big, fat cork will get shoved into the bottle with a wire cage as an extra safety measure, and then they’re finally ready to go!
A note on dosage: Dosage refers to the sugar (typically mixed with wine) that’s added to a bottle toward the end of the process. I know it sounds cheap to mix sugar in there, but it really does help balance out raging acidity in some of these wines, and sugar can also react with some of the yeast-y compounds so that there’s a wine-y Maillard reaction, just like the cooking version, where roasty, toasty, caramel-y flavors can develop. Sugar is not all bad here, and the sweet wines have their place too. But. You’ve been warned: the labeling system for dosage levels is just not ideal. This is the list from least to most dosage, using the French terms:
Brut Nature (AKA Zéro dosage): 0-3 grams per liter of residual sugar
Extra Brut: 0-6 g/L
Brut (the most common): 0-12 g/L
Extra-Sec (AKA “Extra-Dry,” even though it’s sweeter than Brut): 12-17 g/L
Sec (AKA “Dry,” and yes, it’s confusing that it’s called dry but tastes sweet): 17-32 g/L
Demi-Sec: 32-50 g/L
Doux: 50+ g/L
Tank method
This method is typically used when the desired style of wine is intended to express more of the grape’s inherent character, rather than the flavors from lees aging. Think fruity, herbal or floral rather than toasty and nutty. Instead of undergoing a second fermentation in a wine bottle, wines will undergo the whole process inside of a tank. After the first fermentation, sugar and yeast are added to start a second fermentation inside a pressurized tank, so that the pressure (and bubbles) stay in the wine. Once the winemaker is happy with the amount of pressure and residual sugar remaining in the wine, they’ll chill the tank to stop the fermentation before finishing the wine and bottling it under a counter-pressure system, so the bubbles stay in the wine.
What to look for in this tasting
The bubbles! But really though, not all bubbles are created equally. Bubbles can be coarse and aggressive, and they can flatten out really quickly, like in some sodas. Other bubbles can be teeny tiny and persistent, creating a texture like a fizzy cream. Take a moment to look at the bubbles in your glass and consider how they feel on your tongue.
And let’s not forget that sparkling wines are wines. They are meant to have distinct flavors and character, so take some time to consider how they smell, taste and feel all together. Two of the characteristics that can indicate a great sparkling wine are its acidity and finish. Top sparkling wines will have high acidity, though it should be balanced by concentrated flavors. And the amount of time that those flavors linger on your tongue matters too. I’ve been lucky enough to taste some sparkling wines whose finishes hung out for minutes, each worth savoring.
The Wines
#1: Champagne
Champagne is easily one of the best branded wine styles in the world. Even before you ever tasted Champagne, you knew it was a wine meant for special occasions. (And every day occasions, if you ask me.) Champagne must come from its namesake region in France. It must be made from one or more of the 7 grape varieties approved for Champagne production, though most winemakers use just Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. It must be made using the traditional method, and all Champagnes must age for at least 15 months before being released for sale. Beyond that, variations abound. Non-vintage Champagnes, blended from multiple vintages’ wines to create a consistent style, will typically be the most accessible price-wise. There are plenty of other styles, including vintage Champagnes, prestige cuvées, blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs, rosés, Grand Crus, Premier Crus and late release, recently disgorged Champagnes. And that’s all before we take terroir, vintage and individual producers’ winemaking choices into account. Champagne is much more than a celebration in a bottle.
What to ask for: Non-vintage Brut Champagne
Alternatives: Stick with one of the many varieties of Champagne
#2: Crémant
Crémant wines are made using the traditional method, but come from French regions outside of Champagne and have lower minimum requirements for the duration of lees aging prior to release. Much like within Champagne, there is a wide variety of quality and styles amongst crémants. In Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne is typically made from the Burgundian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties. In Alsace, unsurprisingly, Alsatian grape varieties are typically used to create Crémant d’Alsace, like Pinot Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Gris. In the Loire, Chenin Blanc dominates, though other Loire varieties like Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grolleau Noir can join the blends, especially for crémant rosés. The Loire is also where Vouvray and Saumur Mousseux are produced, both traditional method sparkling wines typically predominantly made from Chenin Blanc. Crémants can offer some of the best values in sparkling wine, but it’s still worth asking your local retailer for producer recommendations, since quality can vary widely.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Stick with a French crémant from regions like Burgundy, Alsace or the Loire, or a Vouvray or Saumur Mousseux
#3: Prosecco
Prosecco is the go-to sparkling wine for many cocktails, especially spritzes, but please don’t think that makes them too basic to be enjoyed solo. Prosecco can only be made in the Prosecco DOC and Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo DOCG regions in northeastern Italy. Most Prosecco wines are made using Glera, a grape variety known for its fruity pear and floral aromas. The tank method of sparkling wine production is used here to let Glera’s character shine without competing aromas and flavors from lees aging. The area where Prosecco can be grown and produced is huge, but within the larger area is the smaller heart of the region, Conegliano Valdobbiadene (try saying that name that five times fast). This is where terraces built into steep hills support the vines growing between historical villages. As is often true in wine regions, the best wines come from the steepest sites at higher altitudes where machines simply can’t do most of the work. Beyond variations in terroir, there are several styles of Prosecco, including the recently added category of Rosé Prosecco. Keep a careful eye on the dosage levels in Prosecco - there’s a big difference in sweetness between Brut and Extra Dry.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Stick with a Prosecco, preferably from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo DOCGs
#4: Cava
Cava is Spain’s answer to Champagne. Cava is the Spanish word for cellar, though it became the official name for traditional method Spanish sparkling wines in 1959, with further legislation defining the region and grape varieties happening in the 70s and 80s. Spanish producers were making traditional method sparkling wines way back in the late 1800s, but Cava as we know it today is fairly recently defined…and a huge success. Cava is produced in Catalonia in northeastern Spain, and is mostly made from Spanish grape varieties Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. Chardonnay makes an appearance here and there, and there are also red grape varieties that can be used to make Cava Rosado. Cava has a lower lees aging requirements than Champagne that are similar to those in crémant. There are additional styles that require more aging, including Cava Reserva and Cava Grand Reserva. The Cava DO has also added the new category of Cava Paraje Calificado, a vintage single estate Cava.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Stick to a Cava, preferably a Cava Reserva. Also consider Cava Gran Reserva or Cava Paraje Calificado.
#5: Sekt
Sekt. A dangerously fun word for English speakers to say fast. Sekt is sparkling wine made in Germany or Austria, and because it’s a term that can be applied to sparkling wines with widely varying production methods and quality, it can be rather difficult to know what you’re buying.
Germany has been producing documented sparkling wine since the early 1800s, thanks to Georg Kessler, a former employee of Madame Clicquot in Champagne. Long before Germans were making Sekt in their home country, many were making Champagne. Names like Bollinger, Deutz, Heidsieck, Krug, Mumm, Taittinger and Roederer are some of today’s most prestigious names in Champagne, all from German lineage. It just took a bit longer for Germans to focus on German sparkling wines. And when they did, they didn’t always do it with quality as the primary focus.
Things look quite different today. Sekts that are exported are generally good quality, since they have to compete with the rest of the world’s sparkling wines. In particular, look for Sekts made from Riesling or rosé Sekts from Pinot Noir, especially from VDP producers, who have self-imposed high standards. In Austria, the grape varieties typically used to make Sekt are Welschriesling, Grüner Veltliner and Pinot Blanc, along with the Champagne varieties.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Stick with a German or Austrian Sekt, preferably a Riesling-based VDP.Sekt or Austrian Reserve Sekt
#6: Franciacorta
Franciacorta is Italy’s answer to Champagne. The story behind the name Franciacorta is up for some debate, but the general theory is that in the 11th century, monks claimed and managed a lot of farmland around Lake Iseo. Since they were monks, the lands became exempt from taxes and started to be called “Francae Curtes,” quite literally “lands free of taxes.”
A few centuries later in the 1990s, Franciacorta became an official wine region. The producers in Franciacorta chose to base their new region’s wines on quality, rather than quantity. Franciacorta wines are all made using the traditional method and have longer minimum age requirements than Champagne, some of the strictest in any sparkling wine region worldwide. When you consider that Franciacorta is just two hours’ drive from Milan, it makes sense that the wines would need to be really good to compete with Champagne amongst the fashion set. Today, Franciacorta is more popular than Champagne in Italy, even though the region and its total production is much smaller.
Franciacorta wines are made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with some Pinot Blanc and local variety Erbamat. Styles include non-vintage, rosé, Millesimato (vintage) and Riserva (vintage with even longer aging). There’s also a unique style, called Satèn, which can only be made from Chardonnay and has a lower pressure than Champagne, so the wines’ texture feels smooth, hence the name “satin.”
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternatives: Trentodoc or Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico
Tasting tips
The eats
Sparkling wines pair with pretty much everything. Their versatility and refreshing-ness makes them some of my favorite wines. If there was a particular food category that goes outrageously well with sparkling wine, it’s fried stuff. Fatty, salty foods feel lighter when bubbles pop off on your palate between bites. Fried chicken, French fries, tempura fried vegetables, any and all of it. Now, I fully recognize that properly timing fried food so that it’s hot and crispy when you want it to be is not exactly easy when hosting. One option is to keep the snacks simple for the first portion of a tasting (popcorn works great here) and order in some fried goodies for delivery, aiming for them to arrive midway through.
The prep
These wines should be relatively easy to find, and your guests will have a range of price points to choose from for each style. It’s up to you as a host to decide if you’d like to set a spending range, or if you’d prefer to let your guests determine what they’re each comfortable spending on this tasting. Know that Champagne tends to be the most expensive. To account for this, the person bringing Champagne could aim for a non-vintage wine, and could get creative in seeking out Champagnes from lesser-known producers. Your other guests could also take this into account, purchasing higher-priced examples of their assigned wine styles to help balance the range.
This is one of those tastings where a bit of extra equipment will go a long way in making the experience better for you as a host. Two items that I highly recommend having on hand:
Ice buckets. With sparkling wines, properly chilling isn’t just about the tasting experience. It’s about safety. Chilling sparkling wines reduces the pressure in the bottles, so that the risk of a rogue cork and wasted wine is dramatically diminished. Taking a few extra minutes to chill: worth it.
Sparkling wine stoppers. If you can swing 6 of these, fantastic. Mine somehow always go missing, so I’m not even sure how many are left in my liquor cabinet at the moment. Once all of your bottles are opened for tasting, bubbles will leak out, flattening the wines. If you put these stoppers on between pours, you can dramatically extend the life of the wine and its bubbles.
I didn’t mention champagne flutes or coupes here, and that was intentional. I recommend using white or universal wine glasses unless you have tulip-shaped sparkling wine glasses. Not only will it save you the money and storage space for extra glasses, it’s actually a better tasting experience, giving you plenty of room at the top of your glass for the wine’s aromas to come through clearly.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first, so that even if there are just 4 wines in the tasting, you’ve got a well-rounded experience ahead. However, I’d suggest switching up the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines make it in the final cut, as follows:
Prosecco
Sekt
Cava
Crémant
Franciacorta
Champagne
