In light of the recent holiday season, when thousands of corks loudly popped from their bottles in celebration of a brand new year, I thought I would take this month to write about my favorite type of wine, the bubbly kind! Sparkling wines are the most misunderstood, generally lumped into one category: Champagne. So, I’m here to set the record straight about our favorite celebratory imbibements.
Let’s start at the beginning, with the most well-known and coveted of all sparkling wines, Champagne. Champagne is actually a region in France, located about 90 miles northeast of Paris, about as far north that wine grapes will grow. In France, wines are labeled not by the grape, but by the region. For instance, if you are looking for a French Pinot Noir, you would order a Burgundy, a French Sauvignon Blanc you would order a Sancerre, a Chardonnay you would order a Chablis, and so on. Champagne is no exception. Champagne wines are made from three grape varietals, Pinot Noir, Meunier (muh-nyay) and Chardonnay. These grapes are commonly used in sparkling wines around the world, so what makes Champagne so special?
First of all, because of its northern location, grapes are harder to grow and the growing season is shorter, which means making a good Champagne is a lot of hard work. The colder climate also produces more acidic grapes, which gives wines from this region their distinct taste. Second, Champagne is made using a method called “methode champenoise” (may-tohd shahm-peh-nwahz), which is a long and delicate process of fermentation that happens inside the bottle. The cool climate and signature method of making bubbles put Champagne on the map back in the 1600s, and Champagne has continued to gain popularity and respect ever since.
By law, only wines from Champagne, France can be called Champagne, so what else have we been drinking!?
California Sparkling Wines
It is easier to market Champagne than other sparkling wines because of its popularity and the general ring the name has to it, so other producers have adopted things like label style and bottle shapes to make us think that’s what we were getting. California is one of the biggest culprits, making the same style of wine using the same grapes and same methods, and some actually put “champagne” on the bottle. But sparkling wine from California is just that, sparkling wine. While some are high quality and perfectly fine to drink on their own, I find that my favorite time to enjoy a California bubbly is on a Sunday morning with a splash of orange juice.
Prosecco
Other regions have stepped out of the box and made a name for themselves with their own personal style of sparkling, such as Prosecco. Also, a region, Prosecco is located in northeast Italy. Sparkling wines there are made from a grape called Glera, using a process called the charmat (shar-maht) or tank method. Whereas Champagne’s fermentation happens in the bottle, Prosecco’s fermentation process happens in large steel tanks. This difference in wine making makes Prosecco lighter and brighter than Champagne, since Champagne has more time and closer contact with the yeasts used for fermentation. For me, Prosecco is best enjoyed poolside on a sunny, summer day.
Cava
Cava is a style of sparkling wine from Spain that uses grapes called Macabeo (Mah-kah-beh-oh), Parellada (par-eh-lyah-duh) and Xarel-lo (shar-eh-lo), produced in a region called Penedes, just west of Barcelona. Producers of this Spanish sparkling wine use the same method as Champagne producers, but outside of France “methode champenoise” is called the traditional method. This gives Cava a similar flavor profile as its popular northeastern neighbors, but because of the use of different grapes and the warmer climate, it has its own unique style. Cava is a great casual dinner drink, and a definite crowd pleaser.
Almost every wine growing region on Earth produces its own sparkling wines and all have their own unique qualities, but when it comes to celebration, I prefer the bubbly that started it all. No matter what style you prefer, I hope this helps your taste buds navigate the sea of sparkling selections this new year, and through many New Years to come!
For your next wine adventure visit the Raven Cafe in downtown Prescott, or check out our menu and event calendar online at ravencafe.com. QCBN
By Valerye Jeffries
Valerye Jeffries is the wine manager at the Raven Cafe and all around wine geek. For private tastings or questions, contact her at valerye@ravencafe.com.
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