TASTE Champagne
(for at least 15 months in the case of NV wines, and several years for vintages), and “riddling” – manual or mechanical agitation of the wine bottles so that the lees settle in the neck of the bottle and can be removed before “dosage”, which means topping up each bottle with a mixture of wine and sugar before the insertion of the cork.
Dosage determine the sweetness of the wine, and some notably dry Champagnes are made without it, but it is the only stage in the process which is optional, and bottle fermentation and long-ageing are both costly.
Something like this method is
employed by quality-conscious producers of most non-Champagne sparkling wines in France, Cava in Spain and the sparkling wines of the British Isles and the New World. “Any producer of sparkling wine
who wants to get even close to rivalling Champagne is going to have to invest in the expense of 100 per cent bottle-fermented wines, although generally speaking they aren’t aged as long as Champagne,” says Jones. The great exceptions to this
rule are Italy’s Prosecco and Asti, which undergo their secondary fermentation in enamelled steel tanks. This process seems to suit certain Italian grape varieties best, although Franciacorta undergoes its secondary fermentation in the bottle. Secondary fermentation in the tank is also widely practised in the production of Sekt in Germany and Austria, and of sparkling wine in Russia.
Some cheaper New World sparkling wines, Jones adds, are produced by a hybrid process called the “transfer method”. This involves a limited period of secondary fermentation in the bottle, after which the wines are finished in a tank, which saves the expense of riddling. More and more sparkling wine
producers outside Champagne, however, are now focusing on quality and individuality and
72 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
investing in traditional method production. “There has been an increase in people looking at local grape varieties, local traditions and younger wine makers who are trying to put a bit more emphasis on quality and raise the standing of their local wine,” says Jones, who singles out artisan Prosecco producer Bele Casel as a name to follow. “There is a generation trying to make quality Prosecco. It is never going to be a competitor to Champagne – it’s a wine for early drinking, but it is delicious. They are playing around with traditional styles such as unfiltered Colfondo, trying to reinvigorate the local culture.” Hong Kong-based Master
of Wine (MW) Debra Meiburg says that the sparkling wines of Franciacorta have also improved greatly in quality recently, as have Spain’s Cavas. “Franciacorta should claim its place in the world of sparkling wines but nobody can pronounce it,” she says. “Cava is always fascinating because they make it by the traditional method, but they continue to use indigenous grape varieties, which gives the palate earthier, less delicate flavours. Champagne only has a handful of
very subtle aromas, whereas cava is a little more forthcoming.” Although Sekt is often dismissed as one dimensional, Meiburg believes that it too has something to offer as an alternative to Champagne. “If you looking for a light, bubbly afternoon glass, Sekt is perfect. You will see more fruit character – you get the Riesling characteristics, whereas with Champagne much of the character comes from the winemaking itself, the sophisticated management of lees and storage and dosage and so on, while Sekt relies much more on its fruit,” she adds. Meiburg also singles out the
emergence of Southern England as a serious producer of quality sparkling wines as an interesting development. “I think that’s a very exciting
movement. Given that England often leads the world in new wine trends, it’s great to see them finally supporting their own industry. I think there is true awareness now that England can produce top-class sparkling wines. They are very light and elegant and interesting. I think if the weather conditions hold out, there will be a real place for English sparkling wine in the market.”
DRY OR SWEET? The terms used for degrees of sweetness in Champagne are widely employed for other sparkling wines, although not necessarily with the same precision. These are the degrees of residual sugar in Champagne. Extra Brut – Less than 6 grammes of residual sugar per litre. The driest style. Brut – Less than 12 grammes of residual sugar per litre. Extra Dry – Between 12 and 17 grammes of residual sugar per litre. Sec – Between 17 and 32 grammes of residual sugar per litre. Demi-sec – Between 32 and 50 grammes of residual sugar per litre. Doux – 50 grammes or more of residual sugar per litre. The sweetest style.
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This page: England’s Chapel Down vineyard is leading the field when it comes to producing first-class sparkling wines
CHAPEL DOWN
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