Sparkling Wine - Champagne

Last time, the topic of sparkling wine was introduced. And Champagne is the first thing that comes to most people's mind when ordering or purchasing a sparkling wine. It is synonymous with celebrations and splurges.   

As mentioned last time, only sparkling wine produced in the small French region of Champagne may legally be labeled 'Champagne.'  And because of this region's northern location and cool weather, three grapes have been found to grow best and hence became the basis for Champagne: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.  To this day, most Champagne relies on these grapes. But, Champagne producers are also allowed to use Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane. When these latter grapes are used, they are typically used in very small quantities.

Champagne is actually a blended white wine that undergoes a second fermentation. Once each of the individual wines is produced, they are blended per the winemaker's liking and bottled. After the wine is bottled, a small amount of sugar and yeast is added to the bottle and then each individual bottle is tightly corked.  As the newly introduced yeast consumes the added sugar, it gives off carbon dioxide (CO2). Since the CO2 gas has nowhere to go, it stays in the bottle and is absorbed into the wine.  Then, when the cork is removed from the bottle, the gas is able to 'escape' from the wine. These are the famous bubbles in Champagne.  And generally, the bubbles in Champagne are smaller and longer lasting than other sparkling wines.

The amount of sugar added during the second fermentation also leads to the various styles of Champagne.  An 'Extra Brut' will have 0-6% residual sugar while a 'Brut' can have 0-15% residual sugar. And, whereas a 'dry' wine has little to no residual sugar, an 'Extra Dry' Champagne will have 12-20% sugar while the 'Dry' style can have 17-35% sugar.  And finally, on the very sweet end of the spectrum are 'Demi Sec' (35-50%) and Doux (50%+).

Unlike most wines, Champagnes are produced as both vintage and non-vintage. The non-vintage Champagnes allow the winemaker to select and blend grapes from different vintages (i.e., years) to achieve the best flavors. But, when there is a particularly good year for the grapes, the Champagne may be vintage bottled and usually commands a higher price.

If you are only raising and sipping a glass of Champagne by itself, you are missing out. Champagne pairs very nicely with food and should be served with meals.  Foods such as fish and shellfish, chicken and even fried foods and salty foods pair very well.  

And finally, while the thin fluted Champagne glasses are traditionally used to show off the bubbles, choose a nice white wine glass to serve your Champagne. Because, after all, it is a white wine and the larger, more open bowl of a white wine glass will allow you to fully enjoy the aromas and flavors of your Champagne.  Cheers!

Sparkling Wines

Everybody loves Champagne.  It's a treat that is generally poured in small fluted glasses and raised during toasts at special occasions. But what a lot of people don't realize is that they are not drinking Champagne.

Champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced in the relatively small region of Champagne in France. Only those sparkling wines produced in this region are allowed to be labeled as 'Champagne.'  And an entry level bottle of Champagne is going to start in the $50 range. So, typically you are toasting with some other sparkling wine.

In the U.S., there are a tremendous number of makers of sparkling wine. Most will produce a wine that can taste very much like the French Champagne. And, you can also find these sparkling wines infused with fruit flavors such as peach and nut flavors such as almond.  An entry level bottle of sparking wine in the U.S. can be as little as $5.

In Italy, Prosecco is the their signature sparkling wine. Produced in the Veneto region just north of Venice, this sparkling wine usually produces bigger bubbles. Bottles of Prosecco can be purchased in the $10- $15 range.

The sparkling wine of Spain is Cava that is produced in the Catalonia region of Spain where Barcelona is located.  Nice bottles of Cava can be purchased for around $15.

In future postings we'll explore more about these wonderful sparkling wines, the grapes used to produce them, the fermentation processes, the various types of each, and how well they pair with food.

Here's to popping a bottle of sparkling wine!  Cheers!

What is Tannin?

Last time, the topic of dry wines was addressed. It was discussed that 'dry' wines are technically those with no residual sugar. But, more often than not, wine can cause a drying sensation in the mouth that people associate with 'dry' wine. This sensation, generally with red wines, has little to do with residual sugar and is usually associated with tannins.

So, what is tannin?  Without getting too technical, tannin is a chemical compound (polyphenol) that occurs naturally in the skin, seeds and stems of grapes. It can also be found in tea leaves, nuts with skins (e.g., almonds and walnuts) and dark chocolate, just to name a few. 

Red wines are generally the ones that are highly tannic. This is because the process of making red wine involves leaving the grape skins, seeds and stems in contact with the juice of the grape during fermentation.  While most wine makers remove the stems before fermentation, there is still plenty of tannin in the skin and seeds of grapes.

And, tannic compounds also come from wood.  So, barrel aging of wines introduces yet another source of tannin.

But wait.  With all this talk about tannin, you'd think it's a bad thing.  No. Tannin is what gives a wine its complexity and depth of character. Without tannin, the wine would be 'watery,' 'thin' or 'flabby.'  And, tannin is a great defender of oxidation. So it defends against the small amounts of oxygen that get introduced in the barrel or bottle that could otherwise spoil the wine.

Finally, and most importantly, tannins don't always produce the dry astringent sensation in the mouth. Tannins are also responsible for producing that wonderful silky smooth sensation in wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of tannin and, when young, can have big tannins that can be described as 'rough' or 'dusty.'  But, wines such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel just naturally have softer, smoother tannins from the start.

To summarize, tannins are a good thing. They have no smell or taste and are responsible for the tremendous complexity and character in red wines. And remember, in wine lingo, a dry wine is one with no residual sugar. But, wines that produce the sensation of dryness in the mouth are due to strong tannins.  Cheers!

What is a Dry Wine?

You may have heard or even used the phrase regarding the preference for a dry wine.  But what does that really mean?  The problem is that the term gets used in a couple different ways.

When referring to a dry wine, a lot of people are referring to the way that it tastes or the sensation that the wine produces in their mouth.  But 'dry' can also refer to the amount of sugar in the wine.

Ok, so what then is a 'dry' wine? Well, most wines are technically dry.  That is, during the fermentation process, the yeast is allowed to consume all the natural sugar in the juice of the grape and convert it into alcohol. Thus, dry wines actually contain no sugar.  But, if the fermentation process is interrupted before the natural sugars are converted to alcohol, then you end up with a wine that has a residual sugar level greater than zero.  So these wines are 'sweet' which is, in wine parlance, the opposite of 'dry.'

And while we'll save an in-depth discussion of residual sugar for a future posting, there are certainly winemakers that produce wines with some sweetness by interrupting the fermentation process. And these wines are highly popular.

What about wines that dry out your mouth when you drink them? Aren't they dry wines? Well, technically no.  The sensation of dryness in the  mouth is actually the result of tannic compounds in the wine or 'the tannin.'  Tannins are naturally produced from the skin and seed of the grape. And these tannic compounds in grapes are the same ones that are experienced when drinking a strong cup of tea or when eating nuts such as walnuts.  They can yield the same effect; a drying sensation in the mouth. But this is not what makes a 'dry' wine.

So the next time you or someone you know uses the term 'dry' when speaking of wine, ensure that you clarify what is meant by the term.  Otherwise, it can result in very different wines. Cheers!

Special Designations on Wine Labels

In recent postings we've explored the information on U.S. wine labels.  We've seen that the labels are required to tell us about the type of wine, the AVA or location where it was produced, the vintage or year the grapes were harvested, the alcohol content, and if the wine contains sulfites as a preservative.  Then there are the other 'special designations' that appear on wine labels that are not regulated.

But first, we as consumers must realize that the label of any product is the primary selling tool. And hence, the label is going to contain some amount of marketing. And this comes in varying degrees.  On one end of the spectrum you will see very sophisticated labels on wines. These may done in fancy script with dark colors and may include metallic gold or silver trim.  This simple yet sophisticated label is certainly using marketing techniques to convince you, in subtle ways, that it is an outstanding wine. 

On the other end of the spectrum there are trendy labels with fancy artwork and cute or clever names. Again, these wines are looking to be exciting to a particular segment of wine buying market.

Then there are all the other labels out there that contain words such as "Reserve," "Private Reserve," "Vintner's Reserve," "Barrel Select," "Vintner's Blend," "Old Vine," and "Cellar Select."  These are just some of the marketing terms that are used on wine labels and, in the U.S., are not regulated.   Mostly they have little to no meaning.

Yes, wine makers do have 'Reserve' wines that are special, usually smaller production wines of very high quality. But, the odds of truly finding a bottle of 'Reserve' wine on a store shelf are low.  These are usually only sold directly through the winery or in high-end wine stores.  And you'll certainly be paying a hefty premium for a 'Reserve' wine.

And 'Old Vine' wines, often Zinfandels, may come from 'old' vines that produce wines with great depth of character. But, without any regulation on the term, the age of the vines is difficult if not impossible to truly know.  So, the vines may be 20 years old or they may be 100 years old. 

All the other terms are just marketing terms that get used on wine labels to try to get you to part with your money.  So, as always, buyer beware!  And start paying close attention to these terms on wine labels when you are shopping. You will find that some wine producers only make "Vintner's Reserve" wines and they are selling these 'special' wines in grocery stores and big box stores for $10 a bottle. Don't be fooled - become educated by reading, tasting and by visiting wineries.  Then you'll begin to truly find great wines without being swayed by the label.  Cheers!