Intro to Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine is perhaps the most misunderstood of all wine styles, as it comes with its own labelling terminology that’s very different from red, white or rosé wines.
Most people recognize terms like Champagne and Prosecco, but in the same way that the brand ‘Hoover’ has become synonymous with ‘vacuum cleaner’, these two words are commonly used to refer to a generic sparkling wine…but can in fact can only be used in two very specific wine regions!
Prosecco tends to be cheaper, whilst Champagne is usually significantly more expensive, but why is that the case?
And if you know which of these two styles you prefer, what should you look for on the bottle to guide your next pick?
Sparkling wine production
Sparkling wine is produced across the world in various styles and from a huge variety of different grapes, but there are three main production methods that are common across the globe. These are:
- Tank method (“Charmat method” or “Prosecco method”)
- Traditional method (“Champagne method” or “Méthode Champenoise”)
- Ancestral method (“Pétillant-Naturel” or “Pet Nat”)
The first two are used in the most widely known sparkling wines: Prosecco and Champagne, respectively. The Ancestral Method is a much older technique which is less reliant on expensive equipment, and is often used to produce sparkling wines in a more ‘rustic’ style.
1. Tank / Charmat Method
Process
This technique does exactly what is says on the tin: everything happens in a tank! There are two fermentations:
- Grape juice is fermented with yeast to produce a still ‘base’ wine.
- The base wine, alongside more sugar and yeast, is then fermented in a sealed tank to produce a sparkling wine.
The first fermentation is usually done in large stainless steel tanks to produce a fairly low alcohol wine (around 10% ABV). The producer may use the same tank for the second fermentation, but in most cases the base wine is transferred to a secondary fermentation tank.
Yeast and sugar is added to start a secondary fermentation, which produces more alcohol and carbon dioxide. By sealing the tank in the second fermentation, the carbon dioxide dissolves into the wine to produce a naturally sparkling wine! The wine is then filtered (to remove yeast residue) and bottled.
The longer this second fermentation takes, the more complex the resulting wine. The wine will have spent longer in contact with the yeast cells, which impart a richer texture and biscuit-like flavours that are usually associated with Champagne.
Labelling Terms
Whilst you might occasionally see ‘Charmat method’ on the label, in most cases it won’t be obvious if a wine was made in this style. If it doesn’t state ‘Traditional Method’ or the local equivalent name on the label, then it’s likely to be produced in a tank.
The most famous labelling term is Prosecco, which refers to tank method sparkling wines made in the Prosecco region of northeast Italy, using Glera grapes.
2. Traditional Method
Process
Like the Charmat method, traditional method wines undergo two fermentations, the first to produce a still ‘base’ wine. However, this is where the similarities end!
- Grape juice is fermented with yeast to produce a still ‘base’ wine. This might be in a stainless steel tank, like Charmat method, or the producer could use oak barrels to add more texture.
- The base wine, alongside more sugar and yeast, is transferred to a sparkling wine bottle, where the second fermentation happens to produce a sparkling wine.
Once the low-alcohol base wine has been produced, it is transferred to individual sparkling wine bottles and topped up with yeast and sugar (known as the “liqueur de tirage”). The bottle is sealed with a crown cap (bottlecap) and left for the second fermentation to happen, traditionally in a cellar or in a temperature-controlled storage space.
During this time, the wine is in close contact with the yeast cells which add texture and biscuit characters to the wine. The fermentation process is slow, so carbon dioxide slowly diffuses into the wine. Winemakers will often choose to keep the wine in the bottle in contact with the yeast for longer to increase the wine’s complexity.
Towards the end of this period, the winemaker will slowly tilt and rotate the bottle so that the yeast accumulates in the bottle neck – this is known as “riddling”. This might take weeks by hand (the traditional way) or might be faster if the winemaker uses an automated setup.
The bottle is then dipped into a freezing cold nitrogen solution to freeze the yeast, so that when the bottlecap is removed the pressure of the sparkling wine ejects the frozen lump of yeast! Invariably some wine is lost at this stage, so the bottle is topped up with a little of the base wine and possibly some sugar (usually grape juice). This is called the “dosage” (or “liqueur d'expédition”) and serves two purposes: first, to top the bottle back up, and second, to control the sweetness level / balance out the acidity.
The process for the second fermentation requires time, storage space and often a great deal of manual effort, which means that the production cost for traditional method wines is often much higher than a tank method wine.
Labelling Terms
The Champagne region (most famous for this method) won’t include anything on the label other than the region, but that’s enough to tell you it’s a traditional method wine! The main Champagne grape varieties are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Other parts of France will typically label their traditional method “Crémant”, or you might see “méthode traditionnelle” on the bottle.
Cava is the most famous traditional method wine from Spain, made from local grape varieties (mainly Xarel-Lo, Macabeo and Parellada).
In South Africa you’ll come across the term “méthode cap classique” (MCC), traditional method wines which are often made from the same grapes as Champagne, though can use a much broader variety.
In the rest of the world, expect to find “traditional method” somewhere – if the winemaker has gone to this much effort, they’ll want to shout about it!
3. Ancestral Method
Process
This is the oldest method of producing sparkling wine, with records of production dating back to the early 16th Century in Limoux in Southern France. The monks of Saint-Hilaire monastery (all the best alcohol advancements are from monks!) discovered that if the wine was bottled before fermentation had finished, the resulting wine would be slightly sparkling.
This method was relatively low-tech, as the wines produced in this way were originally only slightly sparkling and so did not require the special reinforced sparkling wine bottles that we’re all so familiar with – although I’m sure there were more than a few exploding bottles!
Modern wines produced in this style will usually be at least partially filtered once the bottle fermentation has taken place to remove most of the dead yeast cells. At this stage, the wine will be topped back up with more base wine and resealed; some producers may use a bottlecap as the sealing mechanism, rather than a sparkling wine cork, to lean into the ‘rustic’ aesthetic.
Labelling Terms
You might see “Ancestral Method” on the label, but you are much more likely to hear such wines referred to as “Pétillant-Naturel” or “Pet Nat”. Pet Nat isn't a protected term, however, so a wine with this label could be made in the Charmat method! It's usually very difficult to spot if a wine is made using this method.
Sparkling Styles
Tank method wines tend to be more ‘fizzy’ with larger and more aggressive bubbles that feel more like a lager. Most will be very simple and light, with citrus and apple flavours. If the producer has taken more time over the fermentation and kept the wine in contact with yeast, you can find more biscuit aromas and more texture, though less rich than a Champagne style.
Expect softer, smaller and less aggressive bubbles in a traditional method wine. The slower production results in a wine that feels creamier or more mousse-like. The second fermentation in bottle also tends to add more texture, plus richer biscuit and buttery flavours from yeast contact.
Ancestral method wines are moderately sparkling wine with less vigorous bubbles than either tank or traditional method. Such wines are also often slightly cloudy, with some sediment left in the bottle to add texture, but this is more a stylistic choice (there’s a lot of crossover between pet-nat and the natural wine movement). Don’t be put off! These wines are often light, fruity and easy-drinking, with a flavour profile somewhere between Prosecco and cloudy apple cider.
Some pet-nat producers may extend the period of time the yeast cells are in the bottle to add the Champagne-like brioche and biscuit flavours, resulting in a “Champagne-lite” style.
Price Differential
As a rule, tank method wines tend to be cheaper as winemakers can produce them in bulk. There is a lot of cheap and cheerful Prosecco on the market (particularly in the UK) but even top quality tank method sparkling wines will tend to be cheaper than most Champagnes.
Traditional method wines are a labour of love, so expect a higher price tag. The winemaker has had to pay to store the bottles somewhere whilst they mature, and may have even had to turn each bottle by hand during riddling!
Ancestral method wine prices tend to be somewhere between a traditional method and a tank method wine. You’ll also often find this method used by smaller independent producers who produce relatively small volumes and price accordingly.
Sweetness Scale
Sparkling wine has its own labelling system for sweetness, based on the amount of sugar per litre of wine. These terms are French in origin and protected by law in many wine regions (most notably Champagne) but are often adopted in other regions even if there is no legal definition.
The vast majority of Champagnes are dry in style and labelled “Brut” (meaning ‘raw’) but this scale ranges from ultra-dry/zero-sugar up to very sweet.
Fun fact: Brut is one of the few French words where you pronounce the ‘t’ at the end, so it is spoken to rhyme with “brute” not “brew”.
These terms are legally protected in the EU and much of the world of wine, so if you see one of these terms on the shelf you have an idea of what it means! Quick guide:
- Anything that includes “Brut” in the label will usually taste dry (i.e., not sweet).
- “Sec” (confusingly meaning ‘dry’) is the tipping point for sweeter wines; expect lightly sweet wines that are good for spicy food or with light fruity desserts.
- “Demi-Sec” and “Doux” are for those with a sweet tooth! However, these will often be so high in acidity that even a 50g/L wine can taste fresh.
Where next?
There's a lot of snobbery associated with sparkling wine - Champagne is often seen as 'superior' to other types of sparkling - but it's really a matter of personal taste! Traditional method wines are richer, heavier and generally food-friendly, whereas tank method wines tend to be easier-drinking and lighter styles.
Hopefully this guide gives you a bit more confidence to explore the world of sparkling wine at your leisure!