Have you ever had this awkward moment in the alcohol store when you are in the sparkling wine section, and you do not want to look lost in the eyes of the consultant? If all sparkling wines have bubbles, why are there so many names to call the same thing? Let's figure out why it is worth remembering a few different names. Though there is a wide variety of different types of sparkling wines (cava, sect, crémant, rosé,etc.), we will talk about the two most popular ones: prosecco and champagne.
The bubbles in all fizzy drinks come from carbon dioxide (CO2). Though in cheap wines, CO2 is injected directly into the bottles, quality sparkling wine is made by grape fermentation. There are two types of fermentation for sparkling wine production: fermentation in a sealed tank or fermentation in a bottle. Based on the type used, there are different styles of sparkling wines.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine coming from northern territories in Italy. It is made from the Glera grape variety. Grape juice is extracted and subjected to the first fermentation. Then the wine base is placed in a pressurized tank with yeast and sugar for a second fermentation. Finally, the wine is filtered and poured into the bottles under pressure to retain the bubbles. Champagne is made with a single variety or a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Technically, the drink can be called champagne only if it comes from the Champagne region in France. In champagne, bubbles are made by the traditional Champenoise method. It has the same first step as prosecco, but then wine base together with yeast and sugars are placed into bottles. The bottles are stored upside down at a specific angle. When the fermentation is completed, the bottle's neck is frozen to take dead yeast cells out. Then the bottle is left to age for a minimum of 18 months.
Prosecco will be medium-bodied, refreshing, having fruity flavors, when champagne has more strong bread and citrus flavor.
So now you have some information to impress your friends or a consultant in SAQ about the basis of sparkling wine preparation.
Author: Valeriya Boyarkina
References:
Douglas, E. (2017, July 12). What's the difference between Champagne and Prosecco. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.decanter.com/learn/advice/whats-difference-between-champagne-and-prosecco-372451/
Grainger, K., & Tattersall, H. (2016). Sparkling wine. In Wine production and quality (pp. 136-142). Chichester, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.
Wu, Y. (2016, October 17). Prosecco, Asti and Others - Methods of Production – WSET Level 2. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.decanter.com/learn/wset/prosecco-asti-and-others-methods-of-production-wset-level-2-286105/