Finding time to pop a bottle of bubbles and discover something to celebrate is paramount today with all the negativity that can surface in times of trouble. Here are some fun facts about the fan favorite, Champagne.
Champagne vs. Prosecco vs. Cava
Champagne:
- Can only be made in Champagne, France (Cremant is sparkling wine made in other regions of France)
- 3 grapes used: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay
- Methode Champenoise (Traditional method of making sparkling wine) must be used
- Aging specifications: Non Vintage - Aged min 15 months, Vintage: Aged min 36 months
- Often has toasty, brioche notes since they are aged "on the lees" (on the yeast particles)
Prosecco:
- Made is Veneto, Italy
- Grape used: Glera
- Uses Charmat (Tank) Method
- Often has more floral, sweet, tropical fruit notes with light frothy bubbles
Cava:
- Made in Spain, mainly Penedes region of Catalonia
- Made in the traditional method like in France
- Main Grapes: Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo
- Must be aged min 9 months "on the lees", and time goes up for higher designations
- Flavors of citrus, baked apple, and nuts
What is the Methode Champenoise?
The traditional method of making Champagne that allows for a second fermentation in the bottle. See how's it's done in the steps below!
1. Make the base still wine - Grapes pressed quickly from skins to avoid color
2. Assemble the blend - blend wines together to make the best version
3. Secondary Fermentation - Yeast and Sugar is added to the wine, and the bottle is sealed with a crown cap, over time the yeast eats the sugar and creates alcohol and CO2 that is trapped in the bottle and creates the BUBBLES
4. Sur Lie Aging - The yeast cells start to die off and rest inside the bottle, Champagne must spend min 12 months resting "on the lees". This imparts those doughy, baked bread flavors into the wine.
5. Riddling - This starts the process of removing those dead yeast cells from the bottle. Shown in the photo above, the bottles are slowly turned in these special pupitre's (A frame wine racks) to move the yeast into the neck of the bottle.
6. Disgorging - Once all the sediment has collected in the neck of the bottle, the neck is frozen in an ice bath so that the crown cap can be popped off, releasing the frozen yeast block from the bottle, but keeping all the lovely bubbles and wine inside.
7. Dosage - A mixture of wine and sugar is added to the bottle, determining the level of sweetness the final Champagne will have.
8. The wine is sealed with a cork and ready for drinking!
Very interesting indeed. Loved reading a simple story about bubbles. I wonder how champagne was ever first invented or discovered?! My guess is two ladies got together in caveman days and figured all this out!
I always wondered what made the bubbles in Champagne. Now I know it’s that second fermentation. I also didn’t realize there were 3 different types, don’t think I have ever tried a Cava, have you? Learning so much from your blogs!