Champagne And Sparkling Wine

Question 1

Sparkling wine grape varieties

Answer 1

Classic varieties:
Chardonnay
Pinot noir
Meunier

Other varieties:
Pinot Blanc
Pinot Grigio
Muscat
Macabeo/Xarel-lo/Parellade
Riesling
Chenin Blanc
Shiraz

Question 2

Classic Method

Answer 2

Grapes pressed quickly and gently to avoid color of skins and oxidation.

Base wines are light, low in alcohol, and high in acidity.

Primary fermentation in stainless steel or wood

Assemblage of the cuvée

Secondary fermentation
Addition of liqueur de tirage and bottling
Wine, sugar, and yeast
Bottles are sealed with a crown cap
Secondary fermentation lasts 6-12 weeks

Sur lie aging
The effects of autolysis-the gradual breakdown of lees.

Riddling or Remuage
The gradual movement of expired yeast cells to the neck of the bottle

Once by hand, now largely by machines

Pupitre vs gyropalette

Disgorgement

Dosage
Further aging and finishing
Liqueur d’expedition

Question 3

Transfer Method

Answer 3

Identical to classic Method up to completion of second fermentation.

Bottles are disgorged under pressure into large tanks, filtered, and rebottled

Advantages:
As little as 90 days from harvest to final bottling

Potential for lees contact
Eliminates riddling
Large formats easier
More suitable for some grapes

Question 4

Charmat process (Cuve Close)

Answer 4

Wine pumped into pressurized tanks with liqueur de triage

Fermentation is complete in 4-5 days

Wine filtered and bottled

Advantages:
Saves time
Much less costly

Best process for certain varietals:
Moscato d’Asti

Question 5

Other French Sparkling wines

Answer 5

Cremant:any non champagne sparkling wine produced by Method Traditionnelle

Cremant de Bourgogne

Cremant dAlsace

Cremant de Loire

Blanquette de Limoux (Languedoc)

Question 6

Italy sparkling wine

Answer 6

Spumante: generic term for fully sparkling

Frizzante: semi sparkling

Asti DOCG (Piedmont)
Moscato d’Asti
Charmat Process

Franciacorta DOCG (Lombardy)
   Classic Method
   Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot noir

Question 7

Spain Sparkling wines

Answer 7

Cava
More sparkling wine than any other country

Most produced in Catalonia

Classic Method

Traditional grapes:
Xarel-lo, Parellada, Macabeo

Also Monastrell (Mourvèdre), Chardonnay, Pinot noir