Bubble Battle: Sparkling wines are a matter of countries
The variety of names for sparkling wines around the world reflects not only linguistic differences, but also cultural and regional wine traditions. Names like "Champagne", "Cava", "Prosecco" and "Sekt" are not just nameplates, but also reflect the history and terroir of their countries of origin. The differences are also reflected in the specific production methods, grape varieties and characteristics.
France is the birthplace of Champagne, the most famous sparkling wine. Produced in the Champagne region, Champagne is made using a traditional method where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. The use of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier gives Champagne its refined complexity, while the region's climate maintains a refreshing acidity.
Spain's pride and joy, Cava, is mainly produced in Catalonia. Here the winemakers also use the bottle fermentation method to achieve the characteristic fine bubble structure. The main grape varieties Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada give the cava a certain fruitiness and a slight acidity.
Italian Prosecco has taken the world by storm and is growing in popularity. Mainly produced in the Veneto region, it uses the Charmat method of secondary fermentation in large pressure tanks. Glera is the dominant grape variety that gives Prosecco its freshness and floral notes.
Germany produces a multifaceted variety of sparkling wines. Winemakers use traditional bottle fermentation or less complex tank fermentation. Grape varieties such as Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay characterise the sparkling wine. From dry to sweet, the German drop offers a wide range of flavours.
Bringing out the flavour
As described above for the individual varieties, the sparkling wines have different degrees of sweetness, resulting in an enormous range of flavour nuances. This variety is the result of dosage, the addition of sugar and wine during disgorging (removing the yeast from the neck of the bottle), the final step in sparkling wine production.
You can find an overview of the degrees of sweetness and the respective residual sugar content here:
- Brut Nature/Naturherb/Brut Zero: bone dry = 0-3 g/l residual sugar
- Extra Brut/Extra herb: bone dry or bone dry = 0-6 g/l residual sugar
- Brut/herb: dry to very dry = 0-12 g/l residual sugar
- Extra Dry/Extra dry: dry to medium dry = 12-17 g/l residual sugar
- Dry/Dry: medium to medium sweet = 17-32 g/l residual sugar
- Demi-Sec/Semi-dry: sweet = 32-50 g/l residual sugar
- Doux/Mild: very sweet = 50+ g/l residual sugar
Sparkling moments in ScandiPark
Whether it's champagne, cava, prosecco or sparkling wine - ScandiPark has just the right wine for you. Our well-trained staff will be happy to help you choose the right sparkling wine for your occasion and taste. A visit to our store in Handewitt, just off the A7/E45, is definitely worthwhile, as we not only have a huge selection, but also a large car park where you can easily load your purchases into your car after shopping. And if you prefer to fill your shopping basket from home, why not use our Click & Collect service and pick it up ready packed from us.
