Sparkling Wine Flashcards
General Background
- Can be naturally or artificially carbonated depending on quality
- Bottles and corks need to withstand minim 5 bar pressure
Therefore, specially reinforced - Champagne is the most famous sparkling wine (limited to a region in France)
Details on quality
This is LEGALLY described as “Methode Traditionelle”
o Intended for use by European producers that are OUTSIDE THE CHAMPAGNE DISTRICT
o “Methode Champenoise” is used for non-European countries
Example: Cava in Spain (methode traditionelle)
Prosecco in Italy (Charmat method)
Carbonation
- Measure in atm
- Natural carbonation makes smaller, longer lasting bubbles
- Artificial carbonation produces larger, short-lived bubbles (comparable to soda)
Champagne
- ! cool climate – high acid
Extreme northern latitude is essential to character - Average temperature in growing season is 10C
- Base wines are very high in acid, low in alcohol (>10%); high in varietal character
Champagne Grapes
o Pinot Noir (36%) o Pinot Meunier (38%) o Chardonnay (26%) - Note! Blanc de blanc (white from white) o Made from 100% white variety Blanc de Noir (white from red) o White wine made from red grapes
Champagne regions
- Valée de la Marne
- Montagne de reims
- Côte des blancs
- Côtes de sézanne
Method Champenoise
- General Process:
- Cuvée
- Tirage
- Fermentation
- Remuage
- Degorgement
- Doseage
The Cuvée (tank):
For ordinary champagne: blend is created from base wines from different regions, grapes and from different years
Purpose is to guarantee CONSISTENCY of a house style
For vintage champagne: blend from different regions and grapes but is all from the same harvest year Vintage will be stated on the bottle
Tirage (The shot):
- Selected strains of yeast are mixed with sugared juice and added to the cuvee
o Amount added is calculated; meant to give 5 atm pressure in the final product
o After the tirage is added, the wines are bottled and sent to the cellars for the second fermention
The second fermentation in the bottle is legally dependent
Remuage (Riddling)
- CO2 fermentation in the bottle carbonates the wine, but leaves yeast cells in the bottle
o Special racks hold the bottle neck-down - Remuers or “movers” turn the bottle while on an angle to get the yeast to settle down the neck
o Bottle angle is progressively increased over time
o Can be done mechanically – mechanical remuage via the gyropalette - Process is completed after a number of months
- Flavour profile: more bread-like, toast, buttery
o this is from leaving the yeast in
Dégorgement
- The neck of the bottle is frozen in brine and the accumulated yeasts from remuage is discharged
o Leaves only clear wine in the bottle; ejects the plug of yeast
Doseage (the dose)
Topping up
- Sweetening (edulcoration) CGM (concentrated grape must)
- Fortification with alcohol
- If no sweetness wanted, topped with dry wine
Size of champagne bottles
375mL = split 750mL = bottle 2 bottles = magnum 4 bottles = jeroboam 6 bottles = rehoboam 8 bottles = methuselah 10 bottles = Salmanazar 12 bottles = Balthazar 20 bottles = Nebuchadnezzar
Other methods of making sparkling wines: Transfer method
Identical to the methode traditionelle right up to the remuage
- Instead of remuage, bottles are made very cold and emptied into a common tank
- Sparkling wine is then cold filtered to remove the yeast
- The dosage is added and then liquid is returned to the bottles
Purpose:
Saves the time and cost of riddling
Slight loss in carbonation may occur; used for “crackling wines”
Charmat Method
- Instead of putting the cuvee into individual bottles, the cuvee is put into a large pressure tank and the tirage is added
- Entire tank undergoes the second fermentation and aging on the lees
- Sparkling wine is cold filtered to remove yeast, sweetened and bottles.
Most famous – prosecco (Italy)
