Sparkle.
Nothing says “celebration” like a sparking wine! Part of my motive for including periodic wine blog posts on The Vining Center is to demystify the sometimes daunting prospect of choosing a wine for special occasions. Another motive is to re-integrate spirituality with its roots in the vine-rich environs of Jesus as well as their vital role in the monastic life. The miracle of wine-to-water should forever erase the debate over whether good Christians should drink! Like so many things in life, the goal is not abstinence but the mysterious intersection between joyful delight and self-control.
So, back to the sensuous world of sparkling wine.
Did you know that the first sparkling wine in Champagne (the region in France where this marvel was birthed) was an accident? The Benedictine monks (God bless them) in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire bottled their 1531 vintage before the fermentation process was finished, resulting in carbon dioxide getting trapped in the bottle, much to their chagrin. Embarrassed at the gaffe, they promptly shipped all their “tainted” wine to England, where it was received with eager delight.
With unexpected demand for more of this delicacy, the monks realized they might have stumbled upon something divine and began trying to replicate the accident. But their work was encumbered by the internal pressure causing bottles to break and corks to pop. It was another century before the English created glass capable of withstanding such pressure; that same year, the English scientist Christopher Merret discovered that sugar could be added after the initial fermentation to create the second fermentation that gave rise to our modern experience of sparkling wine.
Failures seem to bring forth the best inventions, which is a spiritual lesson all in itself!
But enough of the history; how do you pick a great bottle for Valentine’s Day, a birthday, a graduation, or whatever your next cause for celebration?
Cava, Prosecco, Spumante, Cremant, Sekt, Brut, Extra Brut… As usual, the labels are confounding. So let’s hit the basics:
Methods
The term méthode traditionnelle is associated with Champagne specifically, but the Traditional Method is also used in Cava and Franciacorta. In this method, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle, where the Tank Method (or Charmat) has this second fermentation taking place in a pressurized tank before bottling, which is simpler and cheaper.
Sparklers made traditionally (which will be noted on the bottle) have more potential for complexity and the defining yeasty flavors often associated with Champagne. Tank Method sparklers are typically more fruit-forward and brighter in style.
Locations
Quick overview: Champagne and Cremant come from France. Asti, Prosecco, Lambrusco, and Franciacorta come from Italy. Cava comes from Spain. And a whole passel of sparklers come from California.
The primary grapes in sparkling wine are Chardonnay (for finesse), Pinot Noir (for structure), and Meunier (for fruit).
Sweetness
There are 7 levels of sweetness in sparklers, from dry to sweet: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry (why “Extra Dry” when it’s actually less dry, who knows!), Sec, Demi Sec, and Doux. So when you see these terms on the label, now you know how they stack up.
Favorites
My hands-down favorite for sparkling wine is the (don’t tell anyone) California-based, German-influenced Scharffenberger Brut Excellence from Mendocino County. It runs about $20 and you’ll probably have to order it online, or have your favorite local store order it. It tastes like a $100 bottle of full-bodied, yeasty Champagne. So for the traditional heavy style of sparklers, this is the one.
On the other hand, if you prefer a lighter, brighter sparkler, I recommend LaMarca Prosecco, which runs about $15—another great value. And for a slightly off-dry rose sparkling wine, I like Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava Rose Brut, which you can find in just about any grocery store for $10. With a strawberry nose, it’s great alone…or in orange juice for a mimosa.