Sparkling wines in the world

Difference between Champagne NV and Vintage

NV

• usually is the house style, always the same = costincency

• light body, fresh fruit flavours

• Ageing period: min 15 months of which 12 on the lees

Vintage

• only on the best years with the best grapes from the best vineyards

• more concentrated, more autolytic flavours

• Ageing period: min 36 months, of which 12 on the lees (but usually more)

Sub-regions inChampagne

Cote de Bar - PN

Cote de Sezanne - Chard

Cote de Blanc - Chard

Vallee de la Marne - Meunier

Montagne de Reims - PN

Difference between Champagne BdB and BdN

Blanc de Blancs

• white sparkling wine made from white grapes = Chardonnay

• higher acidity

• austere in youth

• long ageing potential

Blanc de Noir

• white sparkling wine made from black grapes = Pinot Noir + Meunier

• fuller in body

• drink while young

Three types of cremant

Cremant d’Alsace (no aromatic varieties)

Cremant de Bourgogne

Cremant de Loire

Minimum 9 months on lees

Cremant de Loire

Sparkling Saumur

• hq

• Chenin Blan

• Chardoanny

• Cabbernet Franc

Sparkling Vouvray

• high volume

• with Chenin Blanc

• little autolitic flavours → smoky

Cava

Regions: Catalunya = Penedes, Rioja, Navarra, Valencia

Grapes: Xarello, Macabeo, Parellada, Garnacha, Monastrell,now + PN and Chard

Style:

• med acidity (more rounder then Champ that is piercing)

• fruity

• little autolytic aromas

• usually NV

• drynk young

Cava grapes

Xarello

Parellada

Macabeo

Garnacha

Monastrell

Asti

Grape: Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains

Style:

• sweet

• low alcohol (7% abv)

• peachy and floral

• drink on release

Prosecco regions

Prosecco DOC

• from Veneto and Friuli VG

• large fertile plain

• large volume, inexpensive

Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOCG

• hq

• Best locations = Cartizze and Rive

• med acidity, green apple, pear

• brut - extra brut - dry

Most common style → extra brut = 12-17g/L sugar

Grape:

• Glera

• Pinot Noir up to 15% from 2020

Germany

Sekt

• Base wine comes from IT, FR, ES

• It’s made sparkling in Germany

Deutscher Sekt

• Grapes must come from Germany

• it’s made sparkling in Germany

• The best with Riesling

Deutscher Sekt bA

• comes from one of the quality wine regions in DE

Australia

Best

From the coolest regions = Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills

Method and grapes: traditional with PN and Chard

High volume, inexpensive

• from warmer regions = Riverina

• tank or carbonation

Red sparkling wines

• common in Australia, now in decline

• tank or carbonation

• from Shiraz

South Africa

Cape Classique

• PN + Chard with traditional method

• 12 months on the lees

New Zealand

North Region

• warmer

• richer style
  

South Region

• cooler

• more elegant, higher acidity

• PN + Chard with Traditional Method

Sparkling Sav Blanc with tank or carbonation

USA

Mostly from California

From cooler regions = Los Carneros, Anderson Valley

Traditional Method - Chard + PN

HIgh volume, inexpensive from the Central Valley with tank or carbonation