Last updated on November 23, 2020
Bubbly season is fast approaching! It’s the ideal time to review the different types of sparkling wine so you can pick the perfect bubbly for any occasion, from champagne to Baby Duck (but if you’re over the age of 20 and still drinking Baby Duck, you’re making poor life choices).
CHAMPAGNE
You can’t talk about sparkling wine without mentioning the world’s first: champagne. Don’t forget: only sparkling wine from the region of Champagne is allowed to actually carry that name on the label. Otherwise, it’s just sparkling wine.
Source: Wine Folly
So let’s set up the baseline for comparison here:
Grapes: Pinot noir, pinot meunier, chardonnay
Winemaking: First fermentation in vats, second fermentation in bottle – this is called the méthode champenoise, and was developed by monks in Champagne. It tends to make very light, long-lasting, delicate bubbles that dance on your tongue.
Winemaking is a complicated process, and it’s not particularly one I want to bore you with right now. For those of you who are particularly interested in this part, let me direct you to: http://winefolly.com/review/champagne-bubbles-how-is-champagne-made/
Characteristic flavour components: Toast, citrus, almond. Champagne tends to have prominent yeast or toast flavours from sitting on its lees (dead yeast cells – I know it sounds gross, but trust me it makes for some delicious bubbly) during the secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Source: WineFolly
Price range: $40 –$2000 (!!)
Examples: Dom Pérignon, Bollinger, Veuve-Cliquot
CAVA
This sparkler is Spain’s response to champagne. It uses the same champenoise method, but uses local grapes instead. So if you like the bubbles in champagne, cava is an excellent and less expensive option. It comes from the Cava DOs (Denominación de Origen) in Spain, which are concentrated in the country’s northeast.
Grapes: Variety of local grapes such as viura, xarel.lo, and parellada
Winemaking: Champenoise, though outside of Champagne it is called the “traditional method”
Characteristic flavour components: Lime, yellow apple, white flower
Price range: $12-$50
Examples: Segura Viudas, Freixenet, Cordoniu
Hint: This is what I buy when I want to serve champagne, but can’t justify spending over $50.
PROSECCO
The affordable Italian bubbly! This sparkler from the Veneto region in northeastern Italy is often slightly fruitier than champagne or cava, but also more affordable.
Grapes: Prosecco (the grape’s name was officially changed to “glera” in 2009 to protect the region’s name and avoid confusion).
Winemaking: Charmat method (aka cuve close): primary fermentation in a large vat, secondary fermentation in a pressurized tank. This method produces more wine, faster; therefore, the wines it yields tend to be less expensive.
Characteristic flavour components: Green apple, pear, white flower
Source: Wine Folly
Price range: $8-$50
Examples: Bottega, Zonin, Fiol
Hint: Easy drinking for any occasion. Pairs really nicely with prosciutto-wrapped melon.
OTHER ALTERNATIVES
- Franciacorta – the Italian sparkling wine made in the northern province of Lombardy using the champenoise method. Not easy to find in Ontario (only two types are currently available at the LCBO). Prices range from $30-$80.
- Lambrusco – charmat-method Italian red sparkling wine (fabulous with pizza!).
- Crémant – this term describes a sparkling wine made using the champenoise method in France but outside the Champagne region. You can get Crémant d’Alsace, Crémant de Loire, Crémant de Bourgogne, etc. Each region has its own rules regarding what percentage of various grape varieties is allowed. These are found in the $18-$25 range, usually in the Vintages section.
- Sparkling wine – France, Spain and Italy aren’t the only ones making bubbly. Winemakers from all over the world, including right here in Ontario, are producing sparkling wines. They usually use the charmat method, but a select few use the labour‑intensive traditional method. These ones are definitely worth seeking out.
- If you like sweeter wines, go for a Moscato d’Asti or Spumante Bambino (but I will judge you).
The Sweetness Scale
Speaking of sweetness, in the world of champagnes, “sec” doesn’t actually mean dry like it does for regular wines. If you want a dry style, look for the world “brut” on your bottle of sparkling. “Sec” or “demi-sec” will be sweeter, and “doux” will be very sweet.
Remember, you really don’t need a special occasion to drink bubbly. It’s not just for New Years anymore! You can open up a bottle just to celebrate those minor victories, like making it through a work day without killing someone, or finally getting around to changing that lightbulb that was out for 4 months.
Happy wining, and happy holidays!