How well do you know your sparkling wine?

Below we have a simple overview of the 2 most common styles of sparkling wine.

As usual with wine, there is always something more to learn (and exceptions to the rules) but to keep it simple let's start with the most important styles. If you want to explore more, look out for the old technique known as Ancestral Method :)

BOTTLE (TRADITIONAL) METHOD

Wine undergoes 1st fermentation (converting sugar in grape juice to alcohol) before being bottled with yeast to initiate a 2nd fermentation. This creates the bubbles (CO2) directly in the bottle.

Next, bottles are aged ‘on the lees’ (yeast). Bottles are regularly rotated (riddling) so that the dead yeast falls into the bottle neck, which is then frozen to force out a block of yeast (disgorging) before the final cork is secured. If the winemaker decides to add sugar (dosage*) this is done after disgorging.

WINE CHARACTERISTICS

Fine, persistent perlage (6-7 atmospheres of pressure) with bready and/or biscuity aromas thanks to the time the wine spends ageing with the yeast.

ITALIAN BUBBLES

* Metodo Classico
* Franciacorte DOCG
* Trento DOC

OUTSIDE ITALY

In addition to the world’s most famous sparkling wine from Champagne, all these listed below are made using the BOTTLE (Traditional) Method:

Crémant in France outside of Champagne appellation, Spanish Cava (Riserva & Gran Riserva), South African Méthode Cap Classique, Australian Sparkling Shiraz (a.k.a Sparkling Burgundy) & Méthode Tasmanoise and in the UK look for houses like Chapel Down, Hoffmann and Rathbone, Lyme Bay, Nyetimber, Oxney and Ridgeview that all make English Sparkling Wine (a.k.a. ESW) using the Champagne method.

Shop for examples of BOTTLE METHOD bubbles here: bubbles/style_metodo-classico
 

TANK (CHARMAT) METHOD

Wine undergoes 1st fermentation in stainless vats, but then (here's the difference with above 'bottle' method) the still wine is moved to a pressure-resistant tank (auto-clave) for the 2nd fermentation. Over the next 10 days the bubbles (CO2) are trapped inside the tank.

The sparkling wine is then filtered (so there is no 'lees ageing') and if the winemaker decides to add sugar (dosage*) it is done at this stage before the final bottling.
 
WINE CHARACTERISTICS

Medium to large bubbles (2-4 atmospheres of pressure) with a fruity nose.

This method preserves the primary aromas (fruity, floral notes) as the wine doesn't have a long contact with the yeast (that would add secondary aromas). It's a popular choice for 'aromatic' grapes like Glera and Moscato.
 
ITALIAN BUBBLES

* Prosecco (Superiore, Millesimato)
* Lambrusco (Secco, Semisecco, Dolce)
* Asti Spumante

Shop for examples of TANK METHOD bubbles here: bubbles/style_charmat-method
 

*DOSAGE: Tank method sparkling is usually Brut, Extra Dry or Dry. Bottle method sparkling can be labelled Brut Nature, Extra Brut or Demi Sec and Doux.

DOSAGE – a note on sweetness levels

Sparkling wine can be quite tart from natural acidity levels. Dosage is a technique to balance the perceived sweetness of the wine.

TIP: when you see the term ‘Brut’ it refers to a ‘raw’ or natural state, which is why a ‘Dry’ wine will be closer to sweet (doux) on the dosage notes below:

* Brut Nature = 0-3 g/l (<1/6 tsp) 
* Extra Brut = 0-6 g/l (<1/4 tsp) 
* Brut = 0-12 g/l (<1/2 tsp) 
* Extra Dry = 12-17 g/l (<3/4 tsp) 
* Dry = 17-32 g/l (<1 tsp) 
* Demi Sec = 32-50 g/l (1-2 tsp)
* Doux = 50+ g/l (>2 tsp)

*RS = residual sugar (tsp = teaspoon per average 5 oz serving)
 
GOOD NEWS: it doesn’t require much added sugar to ‘sweeten’ wine (unlike many other popular alcoholic beverages, such as a G&T with 14g in a typical 6 oz serving) so a glass of bubbles is still a good bet if you’re counting calories!