Sparkling wines

Requirements for growing grapes for a sparkling wine

1. Low sugar
   → the base wine has to be low in alcohol bc the second fermentation will raise the alcohol level by 1.2% - 1.3% abv

2. High in acidity
   → for the required fresh and crispy style

3. Ripe fruit flavour
   → to avoid herbaceous flavour in the final wine

This is easier in cooler regions where the sugar and acidity levels change slowly

Methods to produce a sparkling wine

1. Traditional Method

2. Transfer Method

3. Ancestral Method

4. Tank Method

5. Asti Method

6. Carbonation

Key points of the Traditional Method

Base wine → blendingoptions

Liqueur de Tirage = wine + sugar + yeast + yeast nutrients + clarifying agent

Second fermentation in bottle

Riddling

Disgorgement

Liquer d’Expedition = wine +sugar

Sugar = dosage

Maturation in bottle for some months →to make the Liquer d’Expedition integrate in the botlle

Meaning of “Method Traditionel”

Traditional Method

2nd ferm in bottle

Key points of the Transfer Method

Instead of the disgorgement in bottle:

The bottles are emptied into pressurized tank

Filtered

Added Liqueur d’Expedition

Bottled

Labeled “Bottle Fermented”

Transfer Method

Key points of the Ancestral Method

The only fermentation starts in tanks and the CO2 can escape

In the middle of the fermentation, the fermenting juice is bottle and the fermentation continues there, where the CO2 is trapped

Can be riddled and disgorged or not

Labelled “Pet Nat”

Ancestral Method

Key points of the Tank Method

Used for aromatic grape variety → keeps the pure fruit flavour

1. First fermentation in a stainless steel tank

2. Add the liqueur de tirage

3. Second fermentation in a sealed, pressurized stainless steel tank

Key points of the Asti Method

For Muscat grape in the Asti region

after pressing and clarifying the juice is chilled and stored

To start the ferm the juice is warmed and the CO2 escapes

In the middle of the ferm. the tank is sealed and the CO2 trapped

To stop the ferm the wine is chilled → when has reached 7% abv

Bottled

Released immidiately

Key points of the Carbonation

CO2 is injected in the base wine

• cheapest method

• for inexpensive, large volume wines

Labelled Brut Nature

0-3 g/L of sugar

No sugar is added - it’s naturally present

Labelled Brut

0-12 g/L of sugar

Dry to off-dry

Labelled Demi-Sec

32-50 g/L of sugar

Medium-dry

EU legal terms for the amount of sugar in the wine

Brut Natur 0-3

Extra Brut 0-6

Brut 0-12

Extra Sec (Abboccato) 12-17

Sec 17-32

Demi-Sec 32-50

Doux 50+

Labelled Prestige Cuvée

The best wine(s) in a producer portfolio