Sparkling Wines Flashcards
Sparkling wines - what are the 2 most common production methods?
Traditional - bottle fermentation
Tank fermentation
Sparkling wine- common first step in production?
Base wine
- dry
- high acidity
- low alcohol
- blend - vintages, varieties, vineyards
Sparkling wine - describe basic process
- Sugar & yeast added to dry base wine
- Yeast converts sugar to alcohol & CO2
- Increases abv by about 1.5%
- Sealed vessel to preserve CO2
- Choice of vessel depends on desired flavours, traditions, regulations.
Sparkling wine - bottle fermentation steps?
- Yeast & sugar added to base wine
- sealed with crown cap
- bottle stored on side
- second fermentation
- yeast autolysis
- riddling
- disgorgement
- dosage (sugar & wine)
- resealing
Sparkling wines - Where is traditional method used?
France - Champagne
Spain - Cava
US, South Africa, Australia & New Zealand
Sparkling wine - Cava - region & grapes?
Spain - Catalunya
Local varieties
Sometimes Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Sparkling wine - Cava flavours?
Apple
Lemon
Subtle autolytic characters
Sparkling wine - Champagne grapes?
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
Champagne - production rules/specs?
Legal minimum time on lees - 12 months
For consistency - blend of base wines from several vintages - non vintage
Exceptional years - vintage
Champagne - characters, flavours?
Dry
High acidity
Apple, lemon
Autolytic flavours - toasted bread, biscuit
Vintage - also nuts & honey
Sparkling wine - South Africa - labelling and grapes?
Cap Classique
Sometimes Champagne grapes
Sometimes Chenin Blanc
Sparkling wine - Tank fermentation - dry - difference?
Simple process method
No autolytic flavours
Lees removed by filtration
Wine bottled under pressure
Less expensive (less labour)
Sparkling wine - Asti Method - sweet wines - describe wine & grapes used.
Sweet
Low alcohol
Asti DOCG Muscato (Muscat)
Asti DOCG - flavours
Blossom
Grapes
Peaches
Pears
Fully sparkling
Sparkling wine - Tank method - dry - location, wine, grape?
North east Italy
Prosecco DOC
Glera
