This New Year’s, be ready to toast with sophistication with the help of these tips on vins mousseux (sparkling wines).
Here are 6 sparkling wine FAQs, which we’ve answered with the help of our French e-Tutor, Sev:
1) Where do the bubbles come from?
Bubbles are the result of a second fermentation in the bottle. Sugar and yeast are added to white wine, and the yeast consumes the sugar, releasing carbon dioxide (hence, the bubbles) as well as alcohol and esters, which add to the complexity and delicacy of the wine’s taste.
2) Aren’t all sparkling wines the same? Why is Champagne more expensive?
The term Champagne is a fiercely protected name, and no sparkling wine can be called such unless it originates from the region of the same name in France.
3) What types of sparkling wines are there?
One classification is by the characteristics of the sparkle or carbonation:
* Un vin perlant ou perlé is a light sparkling wine (some muscadets, gaillacs or wines of Savoie).
* Un vin pétillant is a wine with higher levels of carbon dioxide with a longer and more distinct stinging sensation in the mouth due to the dissolving gases.
* Un vin mousseux is a wine that presents the highest levels of carbonation, with the greatest number of bubbles once the bottle is opened, with a generous foam (mousse in French) when poured into a glass. Champagnes and Crémants are the most celebrated examples.
Sparkling wines are also classified according to the level of sugar in them. This can range from Extra-Brut (0-6 grams of sugar per liter), to Brut (0-12), to Extra-Sec (12-20), to Sec (17-35), to Demi-Sec (33-50).
4) What other sparkling wines come from France?
Crémants are another type of sparkling wine with an AOC label (‘Appellation d’Origine Controllée’), which attest to the characteristics, production methods and authenticity specific to their region. There are six Crémants AOC: Alsace; Bourgogne; Loire; Limoux; Jura; and Bordeaux.
5) What’s the difference between Champagnes and Crémants?
Crémants tend to be fruitier and fresher both in nose and taste whereas Champagnes present a more mineral and chalky character.
6) What makes one sparkling wine better than another?
This is a complex question that could easily take several blog posts to answer thoroughly, but in short, some sparkling wines are made in a simpler and less costly way in order to produce greater volumes of wine. These wines are pleasant but have bigger bubbles, which is often a hallmark of inferior sparkling wines.
A creamy and fine bubbling wine cuts nicely with rich and sweet dishes and thus pairs harmoniously with most desserts. They also make a perfect match for aperitifs, the delightful snacks and other appetizers served before a meal.
You can read more about sparkling wine in this earlier post by Sev.
Image credit: Grape-Shot via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC-BY-SA-2.5.
