Do You Know How Champagne Differs from Other Bubblies?

                                   Cava & Champagne have many similarities...and differences 

The month of March on this blog will feature three articles on Champagne.  The first of the trio identifies how Champagne differs from other sparklers.

There is a plethora of sparkling wines available from around the world.   While Champagne is generally the most expensive of them all, is there even a difference between it Cava, Prosecco, Crémant, Sekt, Fizz and the array of other bubblies?   There are definitely differences, so let’s jump right to the most important point.

                          The Champagne wine district is located 100 miles east of Paris

Legally, Champagne can only be called Champagne if it is produced in a specific demarcated region in France called Champagne.   These laws are strictly enforced by a barrage of world-wide attorneys hired by the French Champagne Wine Association.   In short, the name Champagne is based totally upon a geographic location in a specific wine district of France---it has nothing to do with a winemaking style.

The Champagne Wine Association sued YSL for                                                  brand infringement & won!

There are more differences between Champagne and sparkling wines, however, other than geography.  Below are some of the major differences:

Champagne, by law, can only be made from 3 grapes:  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier.  This is not true with other sparkling wines, many of which are made from completely different grapes.

           Yeasts during secondary fermentation create bubbles & add complex flavors

Champagne, by law, must be made with a secondary fermentation in the bottle.  Most of us know that all wine is made by alcoholic fermentation (where yeasts turn the sugar in grapes to alcohol.)  Champagne, however, requires a second fermentation called methode Champenoise.  This second fermentation occurs when yeasts are purposely added to regular wine and the bottle is then tightly capped with a pressure resistant top.   Carbon dioxide, produced by these yeast, is what gives sparkling wine its bubbles.  

                  Special tanks, made for the addition of carbon dioxide gas, are used in Prosecco

While other sparkling wines, such as Cava, are produced by using a second fermentation, not all bubblies are created by a second fermentation.  For example, in the case of Prosecco, carbon dioxide is added to large stainless steel vats to create the bubbles.   Both Cava and Prosecco also use completely different grapes than those used in Champagne.

Crémant, a sparkling wine produced using a second fermentation in many regions of France (other than Champagne), differs from Champagne because Crémant has less atmospheric pressure in its bottles---this translates to softer bubbles.  It should also be noted that Crémant is often made from entirely different grapes than used in Champagne.  For example, in Alsace, Crémant can be made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and even Riesling.

In summary, Champagne differs from other bubblies because it is based upon a specific geographical location, and there are very stringent rules within the Champagne appellation on how this sparkling wine is produced.     

 

Pink Bubbles for the Holidays

Pinot Noir is responsible for the color of Rosé Champagne

There’s something about the holidays that screams bubbly.   And, I’m all about making the month of December colorful so I’ve chosen my five favorite pink bubbles.  They are all French and all five are made from Pinot Noir grapes (thus the pale pink color caused by a short contact with Pinot’s red skins).   

Four of the five are Champagnes (only sparkling wine made in the region of Champagne can legally be called Champagne.)  The fifth one, called Cremant in lieu of Champagne), is made just across the border in France’s Burgundy which is contiguous with Champagne.  The Cremant is a crazy steal, two are in the moderate price range for Champagne, the other two are about 80 bucks but represent terrific quality even for this upper range.   All are non- vintage.

Listed in order of ascending price:

JCB “69” Cremant.  We were served this “sparkling wine” recently in the home of two bon vivants in the wine business.  It was superb.  When I was told the price ($9.99 at Costco), we went out immediately and purchased a case.

Ployez-Jacquemart Rosé:  We always take our Wine-Knows groups to this family-owned boutique producer in the Champagne countryside just outside of Reims.  I can’t think of another Champagne house that produces such a terrific value.  $45 online.  

 

Paul Bara Brut Rosé:  Consistently ranked with an outstanding quality price ratio by many international critics, this one is a perennial favorite of ours.  Available at good wine shops and online at $60 Wine.com  

 

Mouton Rothschild Rosé:   Mouton Rothchild  is famous for its Bordeaux, however, its Champagne (made, of course, in Champagne) is a knockout.  $75 at various online stores.  Thanks, Carrol & Steve, for this winning introduction.

 

Billecart Salmon Rosé:   I was gifted this wine >30 years ago for my birthday and still remember my first sip.  The bottle’s shape is seductive, but it’s the contents of the bottle that will completely seduce you.   BevMo which offers it for $79.99.

 

Have a bubbly holiday season....

 

 

 

Yule Love these 7 Bubblies for the Holidaze

       Representing 4 countries & ranging from $85-20, these bubbles are guaranteed winners

The holidays aren’t the holidaze without sparkling wine.  Below is my fave list for non-vintage bubbles.  There’s the real-deal Champagne, but there’s also a super-duper sparkling wine from Burgundy at half the price.  The wines are listed alphabetically by country.  One of my personal favorites is a bubbly from Italy’s premier sparkling wine district, Franciacorta.  England is also on the list…don’t laugh as British fizz has beat out some of the most respected French Champagnes in many blind tastings.  Last, there’s an American bubbly that I particularly enjoy.  All but one are under $55, and three are $25 or less.

ENGLAND 

          ~ Wiston Estate Brut:  this one has won more medals than any other English fizz.  $40

FRANCE

          ~ Billecart Salmon Champagne:  this one has been a long-standing winner in my book.   $85

~ Gosset Champagne:  Consistently well-made wine and a cut above the others in the over $50 category.  $55

~  Ployez Jacquemart Chamapagne:  one of the best price/quality I know of.  Difficult to find, but worth seeking out.  $50

          ~  Veuve Ambal Brut Cremant Grande Cuvee:  Made in Burgundy (which is contiguous with the Champagne district), Cremant is the legal term for any sparkler from Burgundy.   $20

ITALY

          

          ~  Ferghettina:  This winery’s vintage sparkling wines are the bomb, but this list is only about non-vintage.  Located in the lake district of northern Italy, Ferghettina’s non-vintage is an absolute delight. $40

USA: 

          

          ~  Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley:  this one is a perennial winner in my book and a great value.  $25

Enjoy the Holidaze with one of these bubblies. 

Fizz Ed

There's a plethora of terminology out there related to wines that have fizz which can cause the consumer to scratch their heads.  What the heck does frizzante mean?  How does Prosecco differ from Champagne?  Or does it? Is Cava simply a Spanish version of Champagne?  Does spumante have anything to do with frizzante?  All of these questions are answered below, however, let's start with the basics first.

Sparkling wine is a style of wine which has carbon dioxide bubbles in it.  These bubbles make it fizzy. The most famous example of a sparkling wine is Champagne.  A sparkling wine can be white or rosé, however, there are sparkling wines that are red, such as Italy’s Lambrusco.  Sparkling wine can be dry, or have varying amounts of sugar--- all the way to a dessert wine.  The carbon dioxide fizz is the by-product of fermentation, however, with super inexpensive sparklers carbon dioxide gas can actually be injected into a still wine to make it fizzy.

Champagne 

Only sparkling wine made from grapes in the Champagne wine district of France may be called Champagne.  To protect knock-off sparkling wines, the Champagne Wine Growers Association has a powerful battery of attorneys on staff who carefully watch the use of the closely guarded Champagne name around the globe.   Sparkling wines from grapes grown just a few feet outside the Champagne zone are not allowed to use the name (these wines are called “Cremant.”)  The only exception to the rule is Korbel in California, which was “grandfathered in.”

But, this army of attorneys doesn’t just act regarding wine…any company who uses the name Champagne in any of its products (from hygiene products to car care products) can expect an unpleasant visit from the French lawyers to cease and desist immediately.  Some of those who have had to change their product’s name include well-known perfume-makers, chocolatiers, lingerie designers and soft-drink producers.   Even Apple was paid a visit when word leaked that the company was going to release a "Champagne colored" case for one of its I-phones.  The Champagne name is sacred. 

Prosecco

An Italian sparkling wine made only from a district just outside of Venice, Prosecco is named after the village of Prosecco in which the Prosecco grape may have originated.  Unlike Champagne and Cava, Prosecco does not ferment in the bottle (secondary fermentation), thus it does not have the complexity of Champagne and Cava.  Also, Prosecco is lower in alcohol (11-12%) than many other sparklers.

Frizzante 

Frizzante is an Italian wine term that is closely related to Spumante.  Both describe the amount of effervescence (the amount and strength of the bubbles).  Frizzante indicates a gentle effervescence, or a small amount of fizz.  Prosecco is probably the most well-known Frizzante wine style, though Prosecco wines can also be made in the more robust Spumante style.

Spumante

As discussed above, this term is used in Italy to describe the amount bubbles in a wine.  Think of Spumante as a fully sparkling wine with lots of bubble factor.  The term is often associated with the sweeter wines from the Asti region of Northern Italy, Asti Spumante.

Cava

This Spanish sparkling wine used to be called “Spanish Champagne,” however, it is no longer permitted under E.U. laws.   Like Champagne, there are strict laws on Cava such as the geographical area of where the grapes are grown (near Barcelona), what grapes may be used, and how it is vinified (secondary fermentation in the bottle is a requisite).

 May the fizz be with you!

Burgundy's Grape Varietals

In contrast to many regions in France, there are only a few grape varieties that are grown in Burgundy.   Moreover, unlike several other French wine regions, Burgundy varietals are rarely blended.  A general rule of thumb is if it’s white, it’s made from 100% chardonnay; if it’s a red Burgundy, it’s 100% Pinot Noir (one of the few exceptions, is Gamay, which is used almost exclusively in the Beaujolais district of Burgundy).

Chardonnay grapes account for nearly half of Burgundy’s vineyards. (Up until recently, this variety was thought to have originated in Burgundy, however, DNA testing shows that the two parent grapes of Chardonnay are the indigenous French Pinot Noir, and the Croatian grape Gouais Blanc.)  If it is an expensive Burgundian white, you can bet that it is pure Chardonnay.

Burgundian Chardonnay is known simply as “white Burgundy.”   These Chardonnays have minerality notes.  (This is not surprisingly as 70 million years ago Burgundy was a seabed and the petrified remains of a multitude of shellfish from this ancient sea floor have created Burgundy’s premier limestone soils---the cause of the wine’s mineral-like nuances.)  White Burgundies tend to be much more austere in style (high acidity, mineral-like notes, with soft nuances of lemon and green apple when young) than the fruit forward Chardonnays of California.  (Grown in a warmer climate and often influenced by oak and malo-lactic fermentation, new world Chardonnays tend toward lush profiles of pineapple, tropical fruits, vanilla and butter).

Chablis, the northern most district of Burgundy (located only 60 miles south of Paris), produces iconic white Burgundies that transcend the variety from which they are made.  The Chablis version of Chardonnay owes much more to the local soil and climate rather than the grape.  (Chablis is cooler and has more minerals in its earth).   Producers in Chablis, furthermore, avoid malo-lactic fermentation and the use new oak, which further differentiates Chablis from the Chardonnay made in the more southerly parts of Burgundy. 

Pinot Noir, the main red varietal of Burgundy, accounts for nearly 40% of the grapes that are grown.  While Pinot Noir is grown all over the world, the varietal’s origin is thought to be Burgundy.   The grape reaches rock-star status here and these wines have a loyal, almost cult-like following of oenophiles.

“Red Burgundy” is made exclusively from the Pinot Noir grape.  The best Burgundian reds generally come from the Côte d’Or (“the golden slope”).   Located about 250 miles southeast of Paris, this is the “money-honey” district and home to some of the world’s most expensive reds.  Thirty–two of its thirty-three vineyards are Grand Cru.  Pinot Noir represents over 90% of the production.

In comparison to the new-world style, Pinot Noir from Burgundy is much more restrained.  Weather strongly contributes to this disparity (in California, for example, fruit typically ripens fully due to ample sun, whereas, in Burgundy grapes struggle to ripen.  Fully ripened grapes are replete with sugar, however, at the expense of acid which balances out sweetness and provides structure.  Furthermore, when all of the sugar ferments into alcohol, new world Pinots can have very high alcohol levels.)  Burgundian reds are prized by connoisseurs because of these differences.

Other main Burgundian varietals include Gamay used to produce Beaujolais’ light, fresh, fruity and easy to drink red.  Aligoté, a white grape, produces a dry, light white, and is also used to produce Burgundy’s sparkling wine, Cremant.