This document provides information on various types of sparkling wines from around the world. It discusses the production methods, including the traditional method and Charmat method. It also summarizes the key sparkling wine regions and styles from Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Cremant, Asti, Portuguese Espumante, German Sekt and more.

1. Of the World

2.  Champagne
 Cremant
 Prosecco
 Cava
 Espumante
 Sekt
 D’Asti
 Sparkling
 Methode Champenoise (Traditional Method)
 Charmat Method

4.  Hand harvested
 Whole cluster press
 Debourbage
(settling of solids) in
stainless tanks
 Primary
fermentation
 Malolactic
fermentation
 Assemblage
(blending)
 Liqueur de Triage
 Second
Fermentation
 Maturation
 Remuage/Riddling
 Stacking
 Disgorging
 Liqeur
d’Expedition
 Corking

5.  Tank method
 Emphasizes the
youthful, floral and
primary fruit aromas
_________________
 Fermented normally
to dry still wines.
Blended as desired
 Yeast and sugar are
added to the tank of
blended base wine
 The mixture
ferments under
pressure, keeping
the carbon dioxide
dissolved in the
liquid
 Racked through a
filter
 Dosage
 Bottled

6.  Follows the
traditional method
in the beginning
 After second
fermentation,
bottles are
emptied into a
pressurized tank
 Wine is filtered
 Dosage added
 Bottled
 Step avoided is
riddling and
individual
disgorging and
dosage.

7.  Produce wines with
5-6% alcohol and
sweet
 Grapes pressed and
allowed to ferment
long enough to
produce a few % of
alcohol.
 Wine is chilled just
above freezing
halting yeast
activity
 Racked
 Later warmed up in
tanks to allow the
dormant yeast to
begin to ferment
again.
 Desired level of
alcohol and
carbonation
reached, filtered
and bottled.

8.  Zones
 Montagne de Reims
 Cote des Blancs
 Vallee de la Marne
 Cote des Bar
 Aisne
 AOC 319 villages
“echelle des crus”
 17 villages Grand Cru
 44 villages Premier
Cru

10.  Grapes used in Champagne
 Chardonnay adds adds finesse
and elegance.
 Grown in Montagne de Reims,
Cote des Blancs
 Pinot Noir – Backbone in
aroma & structure
 Grown in Cotes des Bar
Montagne de Reims & Vallee de
la Marne
 Pinot Meunier- fruit and mid
palate texture
 Grown in Vallee de la Marne
 Cru based on quality of grape
 Grand Cru score 100%
 Premier cru 90-99
 remaining 80-89
 Maturation
 15 months NV
 36 months or more Vintage
 Autolysis – lees nuclei
releases amino acids and
other nutrients into the wine
 Spend 8-10 months
 Longer more breadier
 Creates the, creamy mouth feel
biscuit and toasty flavors

11.  Non Dosage – less than 3 g/l sugar
 Extra Brut less than 6 g/l sugar
 Brut less than 12 g/l sugar
 Extra dry 12 – 17 g/l sugar
 Sec 17-32 g/l slugar
 Demi-Sec 32 to 50 g/l suger
 Doux 50 g/l + sugar
 Serving Temp between 45 - 50 degrees

12.  Sparkling wines made in other regions of France in
the Traditional Method
 Cremant d’Alsace – allowed varietals are Riesling,
Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Auxerrois Blanc
and Chardonnay
 Cremant de Bourgogne – made in Burgundy from Pinot
Noir and Chardonnay.
 Cremant de Loire – Made in the Loire Valley and
Chenin Blanc is the main ingredient. Also Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Grolleau Noir
 Cremant de Bordeaux – made in the Bordeaux region
with Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle,
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere,
Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot

13.  Made from the Glera Grape
 From the Veneto region. Produced in
Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Colli Asolani.
 Producing Processo the past 5 consecutive
years or must be labeled Glera
 Charmat Method

14.  Appellation in the Piedmont region
 Made with 100% Moscato
 Find flavors of peach and apricot
 d’Asti – Frizzante
 Fermenting wine is chilled and bottled after alcohol
level reaches about 5%.
 Results in a sweet, minimally carbonated, low alcohol
wine
 Asti – Spumante – full sparkling
 Fermentation until alcohol level reaches between 7-
9% and bottle is 5 asmospheres
 Sweet, not as sweet as d’Asti
 Made in the partial fermentation method

15.  Made in the traditional method
 Produced mainly in the Penedes region of Catalonia (north
east Spain)
 160 municipalities legally authorized to produce sparkling
under the Cava name. Most of these towns are located in
Barcelona, Tarragona, Lleida & Girona
 Spiritual heart of Cava is San Sadurni de Noya
 Three classic grape varieties for Cava
 Macabeo – produces dry red wines of balanced acidity and
subtle aromas
 Xarel-lo – Full bodied wines with a good degree of acidity.
Basis for most Cava blends due to its freshness and fine aroma
 Parellada – produces wines that are smooth, with moderate
alcohol and delicate aroma
 Bottles must be cellared min. 9 months, aging on their lees
to qualify as Cava

16.  Portuguese sparkling wine
 Quality Espumante produced only in DOC
Bairrada (south of Vinho Verde)
 Year of harvest stamped with VEQPRD
 VFQPRD – Regional sparkling made in Douro,
Ribatejo, Minho, Alentejo or Estremadura
regions. Made traditional, charmat or
transfer method
 VQPRD made by traditional, charmat,
transfer in injection anywhere in Portugal
 Espumosos – cheapest & lowest level of
sparkling wine made by injection

17.  Made in the Charmat/Tank method.
 Finished sweet or semi sweet
 Grapes used in production of Sekt
 Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir)
 Riesling
 Muller-Thurgau
 Grauburgunder ((Pinot Gris)
 Weissburgunder(Pinot Blanc)