Hey all,
I know I said I was going to do this regularly, but things got REALLY interesting down here in Austin recently, and I got a bit distracted.
Champagne and Sparkling wine!
I had a fellow Austin Hobbyist PM me today asking about innexpensive Champange for Mimosas.
I learned long ago that Cheap and Champagne never belong in the same sentence. Champagne is a protected name. Most countries by treaty will not allow anything to be sold in their borders called Champagne if it is not made in the specific AOC of Champagne in the area around Reims France.
Champagne is a Sparkling Wine made primarily of 3 grapes. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Munier. (Yup those last 2 are red grapes) Red wine gets it's color from the skins of the grapes, so if the pulp and juice are seperated from the skins then you still get White wine.
What makes it Champagne is basically where the grapes are grown and the wine is made.
Now, without getting too technical, you need High Acidity in the wine to make champagne. Since Champagne can age for a LONG time the Acidity in the wine is key to that. Also Champagne MUST be made according to the Modern Champagne Method. (See the Widow Cliquot) The modern method was developed by Madame Cliquot. It requires that the secondary fermentation in which the bubbles are created happens in the bottle, AND is done while leaving no sediment. The bottles are stored upside down and moved from time to time to allow the dead yeast sediment to reach the top of the bottle. The neck is then frozen and the dead yeast removed with the beer-like crown cap. At this point a "dosage" of unfermented grape must is added and the remaining live yeast eats that sugar and forms the carbonation. In old movies you will see the old style Champagne glasses that they claim were shaped on Marie Antoinnette's breasts. These "cup" shaped glasses had hollow stems that allowed the yeast sediment to settle. The modern method did away with sediment, and the need for those glasses. Now we drink Champagne from Flutes which are better to maintain the bubbles anyway.
Red and white grapes are used and Rose Champagne is made by mixing white wine with red wine then doing the final fermentation. This is the only Rose made by mixing, by law. Some White Champagne are made from all white grapes (blanc de blanc) some whites from all red grapes (blanc de noir), unless denoted you should assume it is a blend of both. Rose's are almost always labeled as such. A "tete de cuvee" is the house's best selection.
Champagne without a year or "vintage" are made to reflect the consistent house style year after year. Vintage Champages are only made in the best of years. There is a significant difference in price between Non Vintage (NV) and Vintage Champagne.
NOW, There ARE other Champagne Method or Traditional Method Sparkling Wines, that rival the quality of the non-vintage champagne wines, at much lower price points.
-Cava. Spanish for Caves, Cava refers to the tradition of aging the wine in Caves. They "use a selection of the grapes
Macabeo,
Parellada,
Xarel·lo,
Chardonnay,
Pinot noir, and
Subirat. Despite being a traditional Champagne grape, Chardonnay was not used in the production of Cava until the 1980s" (copied from Wikipedia, because I cannot remember how to spell them all.) Cavas tend to be fruitier and less tart when young as opposed to young champagne which can be very tart. I love Cava as I love all Spanish wine.
-Cremant. Cremant are AOC's that have strict regulations for sparkling wine in France. Though they are not Champagne these can be EXCELLENT wines, and usually much cheaper than bottles with "Champagne" on the label.
-Other French Sparkling wines. Many others will say Vin Moisseaux on the label. These are also usually traditional method and are made following strict rules as well.
-Prosecco. Prosecco is HUGE right now, this Italian sparkling wine really took off in the last couple years. It is Charmat or Tank Method. The wine is carbonated in a tank then bottled. The wines are fruity and easy to drink. The bubbles are less intense and will not last as long.
-Brachetto, is a sweet Red Sparkling variety from Italy. The flavors are usually Strawberries and Cream. Rose Regale is a popular brand
-Asti, is a sparkling Moscato from the Asti region. These wines are very sweet and will taste of Mango and Papaya. They recently dropped the "Spumante" from the labels to appear more sophisticated. Spumante means "sparkling".
-Domestic Bubbles. Many of the big Champagne brands have California estates. The wines are produced in the same "House Style" and are of very good quality. You are still looking at at least $20 a bottle in most cases.
*Tattinger's estate is Domaine Carneros (also great Pinot Noirs)
* Moet et Chandon is simply Chandon in Cali
*Mumm has Mumm Napa
*Roederer who make Cristal have Roederer Estate
Etc...
Check out Domaine Ste Michelle from Washington for great value Traditional Method Bubbles.
-OTHER, Sekt (German bubbles, usually sweet, made from Riesling) Sparkling Reds (Australian Sparkling Shiraz) are not always sweet. I did have a Sparkling Malbec right before Christmas that was out of this world. I wish I remembered the name.... There is also Andre, Cooks, and others out there that are not fit to wash your car with. Those are almost always CO2 added bubbles.
Prices:
Cava $9 and up
Moisseux $9 and up
Prosecco $11 and up
California "Champagne" $19 and up
Asti $12 and up
Moet Imperial (Formerly White Star) $47
Roederer $45
Veuve Cliquot $55
Moet et Chandon Dom Perignon $195 and up depending on vintage
..and many others, for REAL Champagne you are looking at at least $40. Don't get me wrong Champagne is great, VINTAGE champagne is even better. But I like to drink bubbles on a regular basis. There is no reason not to pick up a Segura Vuidas Cava, or Trocadero Tet de Cuvee Blanc de Blanc, or Francois Montand, or a Sparkling Malbec.
Safe the expensive stuff for anniversaries, births, promotions etc...
CHEERS!
Here we go Wining again
