Sparkling wines are all white, rosé or red wines that are produced as a result of the natural fermentation process of fresh grapes or from table wine, in which bubbles of carbon dioxide have formed.
It can also be produced by adding carbon dioxide in the same way that all carbonated drinks are made. The requirement is that at a temperature of 20°C the pressure in the bottle should be at least three atmospheres. There are different types of sparkling wine and we will focus on them.
Types of sparkling wine according to production method
Sparkling wines can be natural and additionally carbonated. Sparkling wines have carbon dioxide bubbles in the bottle. They are closed at the decision of the winemakers in the bottle. Here are the differences between the two types of wine:
• Natural sparkling wines - obtained as a result of natural alcoholic fermentation. They can be obtained from fresh grapes or from table wine. This is the so-called sharma method. With it, the pearly bubbles are the result of secondary fermentation of table wine, but this is not done in each bottle separately, but in a large container, which is kind of like a huge bottle. There, the process is the same as in the ordinary bottle. This is cheaper and saves time;
• Sparkling wines - obtained only from table wines by adding carbon dioxide additionally in the bottle. They are not naturally sparkling wines, they are carbonated like soft drinks.
Famous sparkling wines by region of production
Champagne
The most famous sparkling wine is champagne. It is the only type of wine made from only three grape varieties - Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It is a naturally sparkling wine produced only in the Champagne region of France. The reason this wine is only carbonated is because of the climate in this French region. It's quite cold there and the bottles got these special bubbles that the winemakers tried to eliminate at first. They thought the wines were defective because of the bubbles because they didn't realize it was a natural carbonation process that occurs during fermentation. In the cold weather of Champagne, this process is slower and when the wine is first poured into the bottle, it becomes carbonated. The glass must be thick, so that the bottle itself does not explode. Champagne is so famous as a name today that the French go to great lengths to protect the name of the wine. It is forbidden to call other sparkling wines with this name in the EU.
Prosecco
Sparkling wines produced in Italy are called by this name. Prosecco is the name not only of sparkling wine, but also of a white grape variety, from the Veneto region, from which sparkling wine is made. Prosecco wine production is the same as with Champagne. This is the name given to the light sparkling wine from Italy. The only difference is that there are still wines made from Prosecco grapes.
Cava
The Spanish produce a sparkling wine called Cava. It is mainly made in Catalonia and Valencia. The first sparkling wine was produced in the 19th century. This wine is also produced from three Spanish grape varieties, both white and red types.
