6. Sparkling Wine Production

Question 1

What grapes are traditionally used for sparkling wine in Champagne?

Answer 1

Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
Chardonnay

Question 2

What grapes are traditionally used for sparkling wine in the Loire Valley?

Answer 2

Chenin Blanc

Question 3

What grape(s) are traditionally used for sparkling wine in Germany?

Answer 3

Riesling

Question 4

What grape(s) are traditionally used for sparkling wine in Spain?

Answer 4

Xarel-lo, Macabeo, Parellada

Question 5

What grape(s) are traditionally used for sparkling wine in Italy?

Answer 5

Muscat (Moscato)
Brachetto
Glera (Prosecco)

Question 6

True or False:

Cava, Franciacorta, and Cremant typically use the methode traditionelle for production.

Answer 6

True

The highest quality sparkling wines from California, Oregon, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, etc do as well.

Question 7

Why are the grapes used for the base wine of a sparkling wine typically picked early?

Answer 7

To ensure high acidity (low sugar, high acidity ratio).

Question 8

Why is whole cluster pressing a common preference in the production of high quality, sparkling wine?

Answer 8

To minimize contact with skins / seeds (prevent unwanted tannins / bitter agents from making their way into the base wine).

Question 9

What does the French term, “assemblage” refer to with respect to sparkling wine production?

Answer 9

Assemblage refers to the blending stage in the creation of the base wine.

Often blending wines from different vintages, batches of grapes, etc.

Question 10

What is the mixture of yeast and sugar that is added to the cuvée (for sparkling wine production) called?

Answer 10

Liquer de Tirage

Question 11

What is “Liquer de Tirage”?

Answer 11

The mixture of yeast and sugar that is added to the cuvée to initiate the second fermentation in sparkling wine production.

Question 12

What feature is unique about sparkling wine bottles? And why?

Answer 12

They have an indented base, to help the bottle withstand the pressure that will build inside of the bottle.

Question 13

In the traditional method, how are the wine bottles closed post the addition of the Liquer de Tirage?

Answer 13

Typically with a crown cap - similar to a soda or beer bottle.

Question 14

Approximate what percentage of alcohol is added via the secondary fermentation of a sparkling wine (traditional method)?

Answer 14

1 - 1.5%

Question 15

Why does the secondary fermentation (traditional method) take so much longer the first fermentation?

Answer 15

Two reasons:

1) The base wine is already 10-11% alcohol, the presence of alcohol will naturally slow down the yeasts as they consume the remaining sugar
2) The cooler temperatures

It common for the secondary fermentation to take a month or even longer to complete.

Question 16

What is autolysis?

Answer 16

Decomposition of the dead yeast cells, which release compounds that create toasty, nutty flavors in the wine.

Prestige and vintage sparkling wines will remain in contact with the dead yeasts for extended periods of time.

Question 17

In the traditional method for sparkling wine production, the longer the wine remains in contact with the dead yeast (extended time sur lie), the more pronounced the nutty, toasty flavors in the wine.

What additional favorable transition is taking place?

Answer 17

The longer aging time during this stage also allows the carbon dioxide to dissolve more thoroughly into the wine, translating to finer, smaller bubble sizes in the finished wine.

Question 18

In the traditional method of sparkling wine production, how do the dead yeast cells get removed from the bottle?

Answer 18

Two steps:

Riddling: Bottles are placed upside down (on an angle) and gently turned. This helps the dead yeast cells float to the next of the bottle, and prevents them from sticking to the sides of the bottle.

Disgorgement: The neck of the bottle is dipped into an icy brine solution which freezes the top into a ‘slush’ of the dead yeast. The crown cap of the bottle is removed and the pressure of bottle shoots the icy plug out of the bottle.

Question 19

What is Liquer D’Expedition?

Answer 19

The small amount of wine added to the sparkling wine bottle post disgorgement. Also known as the ‘dosage’, there is an opportunity here to adjust the sweetness of the wine by adding sugar at this point here as well.

Question 20

What is the wire cage placed around a sparkling wine cork called?

Answer 20

A Muselet

Question 21

Brut nature, sans dosage, pas dose, dosage zero, and brut savage are all terms describing what kind of sparkling wine?

Answer 21

Sparkling wine where no sugar is added, with less than 0.3% sugar in the finished product.

Question 22

Extra brut refers to very dry sparkling wine.

Extra dry refers to a ____________ sparkling wine.

Answer 22

Off dry. (In between dry and slightly sweet).

Question 23

List the sweetness levels of sparkling wines:

Answer 23

Brut nature
Extra brut
Brut
Extra dry, Extra sec
Sec
Demi-Sec
Doux

Question 24

What are some alternative names for the Tank method of production?

Answer 24

Charmat
Cuve Close
Bulk Method
Martinotti Method

Question 25

Why might a vintner choose to use the Tank Method over the Traditional Method for sparking wine production?

Answer 25

Cost

Speed

Preferred method for aromatic grapes (e.g., Muscat, Riesling) where the yeast aroma characteristics of the traditional method would be undesirable.

Question 26

How does the Tank Method differ from the Traditional Method for sparkling wine production?

Answer 26

The first part of the process is the same, with the production of a dry, still wine.

For the second part:
- Traditional method: second fermentation is done in bottle. Dead yeast is removed through riddling and disgorgement of each individual bottle.
- Tank method: second fermentation is done in a large vessel (e.g. a tank). Yeast and sugar (dosage) is added to the tank, the tank is kept under pressure as the second fermentation completes. Sparkling wine is racked to a different pressurized tank, with the dead yeast being filtered out in the process.

Question 27

Describe the transfer method of sparkling wine production.

Answer 27

The transfer method is a hybrid between traditional and tank. It begins with a similar process to traditional, all they way to disgorgement. At disgorgement, the bottles are emptied into a pressurized tank. The wine is filtered, dosage is added to the pressurized tank. The wine is then put back into the bottles.

This eliminates the need for riddling and individual bottle disgorgement.

Question 28

What are the benefits of the transfer method over the traditional method? The potential concerns?

Answer 28

• No riddling needed
• Disgorgement and dosaging can happen in a large batches
• Saves time and money

Concerns:
- some of the flavor components may be removed with the filtering

Question 29

What does it mean when you see “Fermented in bottle” or “Bottle Fermented” on the label of a sparkling wine made in the United States?

Answer 29

Suggests the wine was made via the Transfer method - and while it was fermented in a bottle, it was not necessarily fermented in the bottle it is being sold in.

Question 30

What is the partial fermentation method (for sparkling wine production) sometimes referred to as?

Answer 30

The Asti Method

Question 31

Describe the partial fermentation method for sparkling wine production.

Answer 31

The base wine is not fully fermented. Instead, the wine undergoes a partial fermentation in a tank (where the Co2 is allowed to escape) at which point the tank is pressurized and fermentation continues. The wine is then chilled to the point where fermentation is halted, sterile filtered, and bottles.

This is a common method for low alcohol (5-6%), sweet sparkling wines such as Italy’s Moscato d’Asti.

Question 32

True or False:

Sparkling wines produced via the Asti method must use a specific cork that can withstand high pressures.

Answer 32

False

These are typically lower pressure bottling, and they may be closed via a standard cork.

Question 33

Describe the Ancestral Method of sparkling wine production.

Answer 33

This is the bottling of a partially fermented (and therefore sweet) base wine. Fermentation continues inside the bottle where the C02 is trapped. Small amounts of sediment remain in the bottle.

This is also referred to as the Methode Rurale - and though not a legal or regulated term, may also be referred to as Petillant Naturel (Pet Nat).

Question 34

List the six methods of sparkling wine production discussed in the text book.

Answer 34

Traditional
Tank
Transfer
Partial Fermentation
Ancestral
Carbonation