As if it wasn’t expensive enough, the average price of champagne has recently broken the £25 barrier for the first time. And this was before recent issues with lorry driver shortages, carbonated drink scarcity, and all manner of other issues threatening the supermarket and bottle shop shelves of the UK.
But it’s not for this reason alone that, increasingly, British consumers are expanding their sparkling wine horizons when seeking a celebratory drink. In recent years, exclusive brands of English sparkling wine have consistently beaten champagne in blind taste tests, with the country now producing some of the finest fizz in the world. Alongside premium Prosecco and choice Cava from the continent, that world is getting incredibly interesting indeed.
If you’re keen to get your cellar stocked up for Christmas and are considering this exciting, effervescent world, then here’s what to look for in the best sparkling wine.
NAME & CHAMPAGNE
Firstly, let’s quickly explore the elements that distinguish champagne, cava, prosecco and British sparkling wine from one another.
Champagne is sparkling wine that’s been produced in the French region of the same name, whilst Prosecco is produced in Veneto, the north east of Italy and the vast majority of Cava in Catalonia, the north east of Spain.
The grapes used differ, too, with Champagne made from one or all three of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Cava most commonly uses Macabeu, Parellada and Xarello, as well as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Garnacha and Monastrell, and Prosecco is made with a grape variety named Glera.
British sparkling wine, which hasn’t been given a proper name yet, must be made from grapes grown in Britain.
DOSAGE
Many of the distinctive, desirable characteristics of sparkling wine are determined by its dosage.
When shopping for sparkling wine, ‘dosage’ refers to the amount of sugar that’s been added to a sparkling wine between the disgorging and corking stages. Without this addition, the wine can be highly acidic, which isn’t to many people’s taste.
In order to find your preferred level of dosage, it’s first important to recognise the terminology involved, which is judged by how many grams of sugar have been added per litre of liquid:
Brut Nature or Brut Zero – Sometimes referred to as Non-dose or Pas Dose, no sugar has been added here, but up to 3 grams of natural residual sugar may remain.
Extra Brut – Fewer than 6 grams of sugar per litre.
Brut – A maximum of 15 grams per litre.
Extra Dry or Extra Sec – Between 12 grams and 20 grams of sugar has been added.
Dry/Sec – Between 17 grams and 35 grams.
Demi-sec – Between 33 grams and 50 grams.
Doux – Above 50 grams of sugar per litre of liquid.
Whilst preferred sweetness is a matter of personal preference, the two extremities of Brut Zero and Doux may be too much for most, the former astringent and the latter very, very sweet. Since a little subtle sweetness tends to define a good sparkling wine, it’s best to look out for dosages above 3 grams per litre but not exceeding 10 grams per litre.
For reference, recent versions of the world renowned Dom Perignon champagne sit at around 6 grams per litre, while the revered English sparkling wine Hambledon Classic Cuvee is 4.5 grams per litre. Prosecco tends to be on the extra dry (and often, Brut Zero) end of the spectrum, contributing to its less sweet finish. The famous cava Cordon Negro Brut offers 9 grams of sugar per litre.
LOOK AT THE LABEL
Often, that terminology will appear on the sparkling wine bottle’s label. Here, you’ll find some other useful information that can help you pick a particularly fine drop. A set of three or four letters, known as wine appellations, are especially telling of the quality within a bottle.
Most prolific wine producing countries have their own labelling systems and denominations that denote how a wine has been made, and guarantee quality when considering premium wines.
France has its Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC) measure, Italy uses its own Denominazione d’Origine Protetta (DOP) classifications, and the USA a standard known as AVA. In Italy, for example, if you see DOC or DOCG on a paper band wrapping around the bottle neck, you can be assured that you’re in for an excellent drop.
British sparkling wine now deploys a PDO classification that indicates that one of six grape varieties has been used; either Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir Précoce, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris, or a blend of these.
BUBBLE SIZE MATTERS
Interestingly, even the size of bubble in your glass can help you recognise a quality (or duff) sparkling wine. It’s said that smaller bubbles are an indicator of quality, and expressive of fewer impurities in the wine.
What’s more, the mouth and palate discern these smaller bubbles much more easily. On the flipside, a larger bubble (usually caused by a hasty fermentation process) can feel coarse in the mouth.
DEPLOY ALL OF YOUR SENSES
Should you be tasting your sparkling wine prior to purchase, it’s essential you deploy all of your senses in order to discern a good from a great bottle. When tasting, you should be looking for intensity, in sharpness, sweetness or the balance between both, as well as a lingering, elegant finish, which is emblematic of a higher quality wine. Typically, a delicious sparkling wine balances citrusy notes with whispers of vanilla, brioche, yeast and toast.
The mouthfeel should be buttery and soft; the sound hissing and excitable. Visually, a pale and bright liquid is a good sign; any hint of green implies a rushed fermentation process.
Regardless of the quality of your sparkling wine, if you don’t store it correctly, it won’t drink as well as it should. Check out these tips for storing your wine to guarantee longevity for more on that. Cheers!
