Whether you’re poppin’ at midnight, entertaining someone special or just want to feel like a baller, it’s important to know the difference between bona fide bubbly or a cheap fizzy alternative.
The real deal can only be called ‘Champagne’ if it has been made in the province of – sorry about the redundancy – Champagne, situated in the northeast of France. The most common grapes used are Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and a grape called Pinot meunier. Averaging about 12%, champagne takes at least a year to ferment in the bottle. It is secondary bottle fermented which gives it its elegant beads of carbonation, its heavenly taste, and its stellar status. When you open it, make sure it’s chilled or you’re likely to end up with a waterfall of expensive mess on your hands (something I learned the hard way in front of a table of suited-up Bay street men). May as well go big or go home, Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon are the most popular, and definitely solid bets.
Cremant or mousseux is made by the exact same process as champagne but from different French regions and made with different grapes. Just a quick note for label reading, pertaining to all sparkling wines: brut means dry, sec means extra dry, and alternatively, doux means sweet.
Cava is a sparkling Spanish wine (once called Spanish Champagne, but well, y’know), mostly produced in Catalognia, and bottle fermented for a minimum of nine months but up to four years. Sparkling wines are made all over the world – from Italy (Spumante), to South Africa (Cap Classique) to Germany and Austria (Sekt). There are quite a few Canadian and American choices as well. Traditional bubbly is white or rose but reds do exist (leave it to the Aussies and Italians to make this one work). It’s important to note that price is generally reflective of the carbonation process, and therefore a reflection of quality. Some sparkling wines are injected with carbonation, in the same way as soft drinks, and produce wines with large bubbles that dissipate quickly (not good).
Prosecco, despite someone once calling my cousin a cheap Italian whore once for ordering it, is an Italian sparkling that is actually a great, crisp alternative to its more expensive counterpart. Made from Prosecco grapes, this goody takes still wine, adds more sugar and yeast, and is second fermented in huge, stainless steel vats under pressure. This is a much quicker process than champagne and, consequently, the reason for it’s lower alcohol level (9%). Or, hey, there’s always Baby Duck.
Sparkling wines: However you want to kick-off false promises to yourself this year, know your fizz.
Whether you’re poppin' at midnight, entertaining someone special or just want to feel like a baller, it's important to know the difference between bona fide bubbly or a cheap fizzy alternative.
The real deal can only be called ‘Champagne’ if it has been made in the province of – sorry about the redundancy – Champagne, situated in the northeast of France. The most common grapes used are Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and a grape called Pinot meunier. Averaging about 12%, champagne takes at least a year to ferment in the bottle. It is secondary bottle fermented which gives it its elegant beads of carbonation, its heavenly taste, and its stellar status. When you open it, make sure it's chilled or you’re likely to end up with a waterfall of expensive mess on your hands (something I learned the hard way in front of a table of suited-up Bay street men). May as well go big or go home, Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon are the most popular, and definitely solid bets.
Cremant or mousseux is made by the exact same process as champagne but from different French regions and made with different grapes. Just a quick note for label reading, pertaining to all sparkling wines: brut means dry, sec means extra dry, and alternatively, doux means sweet.
Cava is a sparkling Spanish wine (once called Spanish Champagne, but well, y’know), mostly produced in Catalognia, and bottle fermented for a minimum of nine months but up to four years. Sparkling wines are made all over the world – from Italy (Spumante), to South Africa (Cap Classique) to Germany and Austria (Sekt). There are quite a few Canadian and American choices as well. Traditional bubbly is white or rose but reds do exist (leave it to the Aussies and Italians to make this one work). It's important to note that price is generally reflective of the carbonation process, and therefore a reflection of quality. Some sparkling wines are injected with carbonation, in the same way as soft drinks, and produce wines with large bubbles that dissipate quickly (not good).
Prosecco, despite someone once calling my cousin a cheap Italian whore once for ordering it, is an Italian sparkling that is actually a great, crisp alternative to its more expensive counterpart. Made from Prosecco grapes, this goody takes still wine, adds more sugar and yeast, and is second fermented in huge, stainless steel vats under pressure. This is a much quicker process than champagne and, consequently, the reason for it’s lower alcohol level (9%). Or, hey, there's always Baby Duck.
Sparkling wines: However you want to kick-off false promises to yourself this year, know your fizz.
