Sparkling Matters

With the Celtics beating of the LA Lakers in the NBA finals, there is no doubt that Boston is the #1 sports city in the world right now.  Over the past few years all of its professional sports teams (all but the Boston Bruins) have reached the finals in their respective leagues and in most cases won it all.  So it's natural that plenty of “Champagne” is being poured not only in locker rooms but all over town.  The Boston Three Party was finally able to pop the Champagne last night, but I wonder how much the three amigos really know about the bubbly stuff.

Technically and legally, “Champagne” is NOT a type of wine, it's a region of France.  The wine itself is called “Sparkling” in English, “Espumante” in Portuguese, “Spumante” in Italian, etc.  So, when you buy a bottle of “Champagne” you are buying a sparkling wine specifically made from grapes grown in the “Champagne” region of France.

There are three main methods used in the production of sparkling wine. The first is simple injection of CO2 just like it is done for soft drinks, but this produces big bubbles that dissipate quickly in the glass.  The second is called the Charmat process in which the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in bulk tanks and is bottled under pressure. This method is used mostly for Italian sparkling wines and produces smaller, longer-lasting bubbles.  The third and most expensive method is the traditional method or Méthode Champenoise.  With this method the bubbles are produced by secondary fermentation in the bottle - very labor intensive and time consuming.  This third method usually results in a much more complex wine and also higher price.
 
Champagne is typically made from three grape varietals:  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  Sparkling wines can be made from any grape varietals and in fact Australia has become known for making some interesting sparkling wines with the Syrah grape.  You can drink Champagne or Sparkling wine anytime, not just on New Year’s Eve or when your favorite team wins a title.  Don't just take my word for it.
 
I still don't know why is it that every champion must proclaim his or her status by quaffing this stuff.  Or for that matter... why is it that we celebrate a New Year and other special events with this type of wine?  Anyone out there know why?

Comments

[O Capataz]

Next time I have my favorite food (sushi) I'll have to try it with an inexpensive bottle of espumante. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks Marco!

[Marco]

Hey Nuno, Sushi your favorite food? Get out of here!? I had no idea that you were a Sushi kind of guy. Yes, check back in and let me know how it goes.