CHAMPAGNE GUIDE

CHAMPAGNE
THE ORIGINAL SPARKLING WINE

© Marnie Old and Old Wines LLC 2005

There is something magical about sparkling wine. Its popularity defies changes of both season and fashion, making it the beverage of choice for celebrations and romantic moments. Whether the appeal is vibrant flavor, unique mouthfeel or the way bubbles speed alcohol to the bloodstream, there’s no question that the world is mad for sparkling wine.

Fizzy wine has been around for millennia, but maintaining the sparkle from the winery to the table is an innovation of the modern era. The tiny bubbles in sparkling wine are entirely natural, a result of carbon dioxide released during fermentation. The Champagne region of France was first to earn fame for their delightful sparkling wines, and their techniques are used around the globe. The “Champagne Method” involves a second fermentation of a still white wine in sealed bottles to trap the bubbles. Long aging on the yeasty lees adds a rich layer of toasty flavor that offsets sparkling wine’s mouthwatering tartness.

Real Champagne is French                                                                       
All Champagnes are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are Champagne. The original, and still the finest sparkling wine, Champagne epitomizes finesse and elegance, simultaneously achieving both richness and austerity. One of the world’s coldest grape growing regions, Champagne flirts with both triumph and disaster. Perfect weather yields wines of staggering intensity, but some vineyards may not ripen in poor weather. Consequently, wines are blended from many grape varieties, vineyards and even vintage years to achieve harmony and balance. Non-vintage blends are the best values.

Champagne Method
All sparkling wines are naturally carbonated by trapping the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced during fermentation. The Champagne region’s traditional method is undoubtedly the finest way to make wine sparkle, and is imitated worldwide.
1. Barely ripe grapes are made into a light, acidic white base wine.
2. Sugar and yeast are added, and the wine is bottled and sealed.
3. A second fermentation takes place in each bottle, under pressure.
4. The wines age for a minimum of 18 months on their lees (yeast sediment) to add toasty flavor. Longer aging increases intensity.
5. A complex process, called ‘riddling’, removes the lees from each individual bottle, in order to clarify the wine.
6. Each bottle is sweetened slightly just prior to being corked.
7. Champagnes are sold in the same bottle in which the second fermentation took place.

Champagne growers use the same grapes as their neighbors in Burgundy for their finest wines, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Pinot Meunier, a cousin of Pinot Noir, is also planted because of its cold-hardiness. Champagnes are blends based on red skinned grapes, unless they are made from 100% Chardonnay. Chardonnay-only champagnes are premium wines, often labeled Blanc de Blancs, meaning white wine from white grapes.
Great producers often exceed the legal minimum, holding such wines on their lees for up to fifteen years. The final result combines the refreshment of lemonade with the richness of Irish cream.

California Sparkling Wine
Sunny California is a grape-grower’s heaven, where every conceivable wine style is made. Sparkling wine is produced in the coolest areas, since it is best made from grapes teetering on the edge of ripeness. While bargain brands use less laborious means, the finest American sparklers are made by the traditional “Champagne Method”. Many successful California sparkling wine ventures are owned by French Champagne houses, whose invaluable expertise has raised the bar for quality. California’s riper fruit results in wines that lack Champagne’s lean edge, but that are more opulent with great depth.
Pairings: The power of these sparklers can handle seafood and white meat dishes with ease, they’re also delicious alone as an aperitif.

Spanish Cava
Catalonia, in Spain’s mountainous Northeast, is home to one of the world’s largest sparkling wine industries. While the “Champagne Method” is used for all Cava, shorter aging and less regulation result in far lower prices. Usually less than half the cost of Champagne, Cava represents outstanding value for the dollar. Native Spanish grapes like Macabeo and Xarel-lo dominate Cava blends, adding an earthy dimension to their citrusy flavors. Two giant Cava firms, Codorniu and Freixenet, dominate the industry. Almost all Cava exported to the U.S. is made by these two wineries, or one of their subsidiaries.
Pairings: Cava matches well with a wide range of foods, from bruschetta to Christmas turkey. It is equally gratifying as a holiday cocktail or toast.

Italian Prosecco
Prosecco is not made in the traditional French manner, but its crisp pear-like flavor and suggestion of sweetness make it a home run for bargain hunters. Long the house sparkler in Italian restaurants, this light bodied bubbly delivers considerable bang for the buck in a category otherwise dominated by luxury items. Prosecco tastes more like fresh fruit and less like toasty yeast than Champagne method wines, so even non-wine drinkers enjoy it. As a result, this Northern Italian sparkler from the Veneto region is the ultimate crowd pleaser.
Pairings: Prosecco’s up-front appeal and slight sweetness make it a natural before the serious food arrives. Pour it as a brunch tipple or a party pick-me-up.

© Marnie Old and Old Wines LLC 2005