Have you ever wondered what sparkling wine actually is?
What types there are available on the market? Or what these are made with? Well, read on and find out right here!
What is Sparkling Wine and where did it get its name from?: Sparkling wine is possibly the most classic celebratory drink; it is created when a yeast and sugar solution mixed with a dry table wine. This results in fermentation, which produces the small bubbles of carbon dioxide, which can be found in the bottle of all sparkling wines.
The Difference Between Sparkling Wine and Champagne : We often here the expressions sparkling wine and champagne used interchangeably, however,
Champagne traditionally and legally refers to sparkling wines produced in the champagne region of France Sparkling wines made throughout the globe cannot be named champagne, and therefore have other names instead, depending on where they are produced.
What Grape Varieties are used to Make Sparkling Wines?: Depending upon the country where the sparkling wine is produced, it can be made with local grape varieties, however, these usually include Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
How does Sparkling Wine taste? :
Sparkling wine can be:
Brut (very dry)
Extra Sec or Extra Dry (dry)
Sec (semi-sweet)
Demi Sec (sweet)
Types of sparkling wine:
Asti Brut is a dry sparkling wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. In this region you will also find Spumante, which means “sparkling” in Italian and is sweet.
Blanc de Noir is made from the dark Pinot Noir grape, but the skins are removed before the color is extracted. Its color varies from gold to bright pink, and its flavour is full-bodied and complex.
Blanc de Blanc is made completely from all green (white) grapes -- usually the Chardonnay and Pinot Gris --the version is light and fruity.
Cava is a sparkling wine predominantly from the Catalonia area of Spain and comes in white and rosé forms.
Champagne is made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and/or Pinot Meunier grape varieties and contains little residual sugar, just enough to balance the acidity.
Date posted: 26/03/2010
