Weekly Wine Series - Sparkling Wine and Champagne

Weekly Wine Series - Wine Recommendation - Sparkling Wine

Sparkling Wine and Champagne is always a crowd favorite. It’s great for celebrations, brunch and it pairs with almost any type of food. Sparkling wine has become more and more popular over the years, and more wineries are starting to make this type of wine.

Even though sparkling wine is very exciting and fun, it can be really overwhelming. There are SO many different names used when it comes to sparkling wine, and it’s hard to know the difference (or is there one?). In addition to all of the nomenclature, a bottle of sparkling wine will typically lack information like the year and/or the grape varietal. Have you ever wondered why that is?

If you’ve had some of these thoughts before and want to learn more about sparkling wine, you’re in the right place. In this pos you’ll find TONS of great information about sparkling wine including facts, food pairings, bottle recommendations and so much more. Cheers!

Overview

Terminology

Cava – This is a Spanish sparkling wine. This is typically inexpensive and very dry. Cava is made in the traditional method like Champagne. Cava is mainly produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia.
Prosecco – This is an Italian sparkling wine. This is typically inexpensive and lighter in style. I often find Prosecco to be a little more sweet than other types of sparkling wine.
Champagne – This is a sparkling wine from Champagne, France. A wine can only be called Champagne if it is from the Champagne region in France! Champagne typically has a much higher price point than other types of sparkling wines. The three main grape varieties used in Champagne are: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
American Sparkling Wine (Brut) – Often times you’ll see American sparkling wine referred to as “Brut”. This basically means it’s a dry sparkling wine. There isn’t necessarily one specific term used for sparkling wines in America, but this is probably the most common.
Blanc de Blancs – This literally translates to “white of whites.” This means that the sparkling wine was only made with white grapes. Typically, these are 100% Chardonnay. A Blanc de Blanc is usually very crisp and acidic.

Sweetness Levels

The sweetness level in sparkling wines can vary depending on how much residual sugar is in the bottle. Below are terms used to describe the sweetness levels of a sparkling wine. Extra Brut is the most dry and Doux is the most sweet.

Extra Brut (< 6 grams sugar)
Brut (< 12 grams sugar)
Extra Dry (12-17 grams of sugar)
Sec (17-32 grams of sugar)
Demi-Sec (32-50 grams of sugar)
Doux (50 grams of sugar)

Other Facts

In order to call a wine “Champagne” it MUST be from the Champagne region in France.
Most sparkling wines do not have a vintage (year) listed on the bottle – this means they are non-vintage(NV). For a NV wine, the winemaker can use grapes from several different years. Certain sparkling wines will have a year listed on the bottle – this means that it’s a vintage wine. Vintage Champagnes are not made every year. They are typically only made if they had an excellent growing season.
The bubbles in a sparkling wine come from the second fermentation. If the traditional method is used, the second fermentation happens inside of the bottle.
Sparkling wine can pair with almost any type of food. If you’re not sure what to bring to your next dinner party, consider a bottle of bubbles!
The two most common grape varietals used to make sparkling wine are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Food Pairings

I LOVE pairing food with wine. Here are some of my recommendations for what to pair with sparkling wine:

Potato Chips
French Fries
Other salty snacks like popcorn, corn nuts, etc.
Oysters
Brie
Fried Chicken

Glassware

There are several different options for glassware when it comes to sparkling wine and Champagne. While there is no RIGHT answer, there are some differences depending on which type of glass you choose. Here are some of the most common:

Flute – This is probably the most common type of glassware you will see for sparkling wine. The flute is a great way to preserve the bubbles in the sparkling wine due to the small surface area of the rim. Choose this glass if you want the wine to be extra bubbly.
Coupe – This is my favorite type of glass because it feels extra fancy and vintage. The downside to using a coupe glass is that the bubbles tend to go flat pretty quickly. If you want to preserve the fizz and bubbles in your sparkling wine, I’d recommend sticking with a flute or tulip glass. Choose this glass if you care more about appearance.
Tulip – The tulip glass is very similar to the flute, but there are a few differences. Since the tulip has a rounder shape, the aromas are able to build up in the glass. If you drink out of a tulip-shaped glass, you may be able to smell and taste more complex aromas. Choose this glass if you want a good balance of bubbles and flavor.