Sparkling Wines

Question 1

What are the seven AOP regions for Crémant wines produced by the traditional method in France?

Answer 1

1. Crémant de Bordeaux
2. Crémant de Bourgogne
3. Crémant de Loire
4. Crémant de Limoux
5. Crémant de Die
6. Crémant du Jura
7. Crémant d’Alsace.

Question 2

What grapes are allowed in Crémant de Bordeaux?

Answer 2

Blanc/Rose: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cot, Petit Verdot, Carmenère, Muscadelle, Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, (Max. 30% combined Colombard, Merlot Blanc, and Ugni Blanc)

Question 3

What grapes are allowed in Crémant de Bourgogne?

Answer 3

Blanc/Rose: Min. 30% combined Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Noir; max. 20% Gamay (others- Aligoté, Melon de Bourgogne, Sacy)

Question 4

What grapes are allowed in Crémant de Loire?

Answer 4

Blanc/Rose: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Orbois, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pinot Noir (max 30%: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pineau d’Aunis)

Question 5

What grapes are allowed in Crémant de Limoux?

Answer 5

Blanc/Rose: Max. 90% combined Chardonnay (min. 50%) and Chenin Blanc (10-40%); plus max. 20% combined Mauzac and Pinot Noir (max. 15%)

Question 6

What grapes are allowed in Crémant de Die?

Answer 6

Blanc: Min. 55% Clairette, min. 10% Aligoté, 5-10% Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains

Question 7

What grapes are allowed in Crémant du Jura?

Answer 7

Blanc: Min. 70% combined Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Trousseau
Rosé: Min. 50% combined Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Trousseau, and Poulsard
*Savagnin also allowed

Question 8

What grapes are allowed in Crémant d’Alsace?

Answer 8

Blanc: Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois, and/or Chardonnay
Rosé: 100% Pinot Noir

Question 9

What are other appellations in France producing traditional method sparkling wines?

Answer 9

Vouvray, Montlouis-sur-Loire, and Saumur in the Loire; and Vin de Savoie and Seyssel in Savoie.

Question 10

What are fully sparkling and lightly sparkling wines labeled as in France?

Answer 10

Fully sparkling wines labeled “mousseux”, lightly sparkling “pétillant”

Question 11

Blanquette de Limoux AOP wines also produce what?

Answer 11

sparkling wine produced by the traditional method, from a minimum 90% Mauzac, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc.

Question 12

Where are the best traditional method sparkling wines produced in Italy?

Answer 12

in Lombardy, within the DOCGs of Franciacorta and Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico

Question 13

What are the different styles of Franciacorta produced?

Answer 13

Franciacorta, Franciacorta Satèn, Franciacorta Rosé, Franciacorta Millesimato (85% from stated vintage), Franciacorta Riserva (85% from stated vintage)

Question 14

What varieties are allowed in Franciacorta?

Answer 14

Franciacorta- Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, Max 50% Pinot Bianco
Franciacorta Satèn- Chardonnay, max 50% Pinot Bianco
Franciacorta Rosé: Min 25% Pinot Nero

Question 15

Aging requirements for Franciacorta?

Answer 15

Min 18 mos on the lees, 25 mos total

Question 16

Aging requirements for Franciacorta Satèn & Rosé?

Answer 16

Min 24 months on the lees , 31 months total (Both styles may also be Millesimato or Riserva)

Question 17

Aging requirements for Franciacorta Millesimato?

Answer 17

Min 30 months on the lees, 37 months total

Question 18

Aging requirements for Franciacorta Riserva?

Answer 18

Min 60 months on the lees, 67 months total

Question 19

What styles of wine are produced in Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico ?

Answer 19

Classico, Rosé, Pinot Nero, Pinot Nero Rosé

Question 20

What varieties are allowed in Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico?

Answer 20

Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero

Question 21

What other places produced traditional method sparkling wine in Europe?

Answer 21

All Spanish Cava and the highest quality German Sekt

Question 22

Who is a new a new frontier for traditional method sparkling wines?

Answer 22

England

Question 23

Why are sparkling wines successful in England?

Answer 23

the White Cliffs of Dover (and much of southeastern England’s subsoil) represent a natural continuation of the chalk of Champagne.

Question 24

Which houses lead the way in England sparkling winemaking?

Answer 24

Nyetimber and Ridgeview Estate, both located in Sussex

Question 25

What big Champagne houses have founded American projects?

Answer 25

Roederer in Anderson Valley in Mendocino, Taittinger in Carneros, Moët et Chandon Yountville

Question 26

Who is at the forefront of traditional method “Cap Classique” sparkling wines in South Africa?

Answer 26

Graham Beck

Question 27

What is Méthode Ancestrale?

Answer 27

the oldest sparkling wine procuedure, A single fermentation begins in tank, wine is transferred to bottles before the process is complete (liqueur de tirage is unnecessary). Yeasts continue to ferment the remaining sugars in the bottle, giving the wine its sparkle. The residual sweetness of the finished wines varies by appellation, but dosage is not allowed

Question 28

What is another name for Méthode Ancestrale?

Answer 28

méthode rurale

Question 29

What are are examples of the Méthode Ancestrale style?

Answer 29

Bugey Cerdon, Clairette de Die Méthode Dioise Ancestrale, and Gaillac Mousseux Méthode Gaillaçoise

Question 30

Who developed the Charmat Process/Cuve Close/Tank Method and when?

Answer 30

Eugene Charmat in the early 20th century

Question 31

What wines are produced in the Charmat Process/Cuve Close/Tank method?

Answer 31

Most Asti DOCG and Prosecco bottlings

Question 32

What is the Continuous Method/Russian Continuous Method?

Answer 32

Developed in the USSR, this method is similar to the tank method, but the base wine is pumped through a series of interconnected (continuous) tanks while undergoing the second fermentation

Question 33

What does the Continuous Method offer that the Tank Method doesn’t?

Answer 33

Liqueur de tirage is constantly added to the wine, and lees accumulate in the first several tanks, offering a higher degree of autolyzed flavors than the standard tank method.

Question 34

The majority of German Sekt is produced by what method?

Answer 34

either the tank method or the continuous method