World Sparkling Wines

Question 1

What are the methods for making sparkling wines?

Answer 1

Methode Champenoise
Transfer Method
Tank/Charmat Method

Question 2

What are the steps for Methode Champenoise?

Answer 2

Base wine is made and bottled
Sugar and yeast are added
Second fermentation occurs
Sur lie aging/yeast autolysis
Riddling/disgorgement
Dosage/final bottling

All steps happen in the same bottle

Question 3

What advantages does Methode Champenoise have?

Answer 3

Extended less contact
Intense lees flavor is imparted

Question 4

What wines are produced via Methode Champenoise?

Answer 4

Champagne
Cremant
Cava
Franciacorta

Question 5

What are the steps for the Transfer Method?

Answer 5

Base wine is made and bottled (in regular sized bottles)
Sugar and yeast are added
Second fermentation occurs
Sur lie aging/yeast autolysis
Bottles emptied into a large tank under pressure
Wine is filtered
Dosage/final bottling

Question 6

What advantages does the Transfer Method have?

Answer 6

Lees contact
Eliminates the need for riddling (saves $$)

Question 7

What wines are produced via the Transfer Method?

Answer 7

Large and small format bottling of champagne and other sparkling wines

Question 8

What are the steps for the Tank/Charmat Method?

Answer 8

Base wine is sealed in a pressurized tank
Sugar and yeast are added
Second fermentation in tank
Filtered under pressure
Dosage under pressure

Question 9

What advantages does the Tank/Charmat method have?

Answer 9

Saves a lot of time
Fermentation finishes in 4-5 days
No costly riddling or disgorging
Best process for aromatic varieties (because it doesn’t need the additional flavors from yeast cells/extended lees contact)

Question 10

What wines are produced via the Tank/Charmat method?

Answer 10

Prosecco
Moscato d’Asti
Lambrusco

Question 11

What are sparkling wines made outside Champagne in France called?

Answer 11

Cremant

Question 12

What is Cremant?

Answer 12

All sparkling wines made in France produced outside Champagne and using the methode champenoise.
However, it is called method classique on these bottles

Question 13

What are examples of Cremant?

Answer 13

Cremant de Bourgogne
Cremant d’Alsace
Cremant de Loire

Question 14

What are examples of sparkling wines made in Italy?

Answer 14

Asti DOCG
Prosecco
Lambrusco
Franciacorta DOCG

Question 15

What method is used to make Asti DOCG?

Answer 15

Made by Charmat/Tank method
Moscato d’Asti is one type of Asti DOCG

Question 16

Where is Asti DOCG from?

Answer 16

Piedmont

Question 17

What method is used to make Prosecco?

Answer 17

Made by Charmat/tank method

Question 18

Where is Prosecco from?

Answer 18

Veneto

Question 19

What method is used to make Lambrusco?

Answer 19

Made by Charmat/tank method

Question 20

Where is Lambrusco from?

Answer 20

Emilia-Romagna

Question 21

What method is used to make Franciacorta?

Answer 21

Made by methode classique (metodo classico or metodo tradizionale)

Question 22

What grapes are used in Franciacorta?

Answer 22

Chardonnay
Pinot Nero
Pinot Bianco

Question 23

Where is Franciocorta from?

Answer 23

Lombardy

Question 24

What sparkling wine comes from Spain?

Answer 24

Cava DO

Question 25

Where is Cava from?

Answer 25

Catalonia

Question 26

What method is used to make Cava?

Answer 26

Classic method

Question 27

What grapes are used in Cava?

Answer 27

Xarel-lo
Parellada
Macabeo

Question 28

What country produces more sparkling wine than any other country?

Answer 28

Spain

Question 29

What is method ancestrale?

Answer 29

Makes wine called Petillant Naturel
Fermentation is paused mid-way by lower temp to stop yeast
Bottle it
Fermentation will resume in bottle as it warms, creating CO2 in wine
Chill again, disgorge, then final bottle