Sparkling Wine

Sparkling, or 'fizzy', wine is the result of a significantly higher content of carbon dioxide than normal wines which adds small bubbles to the liquid. The carbon dioxide content can come as a result of several factors. Sometimes it occurs naturally through the fermentation process, either in a bottle or in a large tank designed to withstand the pressures of the process, or through direct carbon dioxide injection. 

The majority of sparkling wines will be white or sparkling rose, though there are numerous examples of sparkling red wines such as Brachetto or Shiraz. Without doubt the most commonly known variety of sparkling wine is the famous Champagne, a wine produced exclusively in the region of France from which it takes its name, with other countries and regions producing their own branded versions of a similar product such as Spanish Cava or the German Sekt. 

Sparkling wines are manufactured in much the same way as still wine, with few important differences. The grapes are harvested earlier to ensure they have higher levels of acidity and lower sugar levels. Many premium producers of sparkling wines harvest by hand to avoid the risk of the mechanical harvest splitting the berries and encouraging maceration between the juice and skin.  Ideally the press house will be close to the vineyard to allow the grapes to be juiced and separated from the skins as quickly as possible.

The fermentation process begins in much the same way as it does with still wine, and when the initial fermentation process is complete base wines will normally be blended to create a blend which is the ‘house style’.  There are a variety of sparkling wines which are not blended, but the majority will be an amalgamation of numerous types and flavours of grape. It is the secondary fermentation which distinguishes sparkling wine from still, during which the manufacturer makes use of the carbon dioxide gas produced from the process to give the wine its distinctive bubbles and fizzy texture.  Usually a mixture of yeast and sugar is added to the base liquid to trigger the secondary fermentation, and the method used to bottle the wine differs depending on wither the traditional or Charmat method is being used.

Traditionally the wine will be placed into the bottle it is due to be sold in before the fermentation is triggered, before the process of riddling and disgorgement takes place to remove the driest yeast cell while retaining the carbon dioxide in the bottle. Wine manufactured using this method requires extremely thick glass bottles due to the huge amount of pressure built up during the process. The Charmat method involves a similar process which takes place inside a large pressurised tank, following which the wine is cooled, clarified and bottled. The method of carbon dioxide injection is the same as that used to create fizzy soft drinks; however this will only ever be used on the cheaper sparkling wines.

Rose-wine.com offers great sparkling wines from all over the world.