If you’re looking for bubbly for the festive season, it’s important to know what kind of bubbly you should choose. How about Champagne, Prosecco, Cava or one of the many sparkling wines that are making their way from California to Nashik? But first things first: Champagne only comes from Champagne, the countryside near Paris. It’s a basic fact that a surprising number of bubbly drinkers are still unaware of when they call everything in the bottle “champagne.” There is a law protecting nomenclature and the Champagne Board can come after you with its full legal force if you make false claims.
In fact, there have also been controversies regarding other items such as teas trying to ride on the Champagne brand’s image, comparing themselves to premium bubbly. And beer makers in Belgium, who compared their production method to the Methode Champenoise, the method by which Champagne is produced by involving secondary fermentation in a bottle, have also run into trouble with their French brethren. would be the correct word method traditionalMore on that later.
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Champagne – Celebration Drink
One reason Champagne is so protective of its brand – and others are abusing it – is because the image of a premium, expensive drink used for celebrations associated with glamor and exclusivity is important to its marketing. . However, the reason why a bottle of Champagne is so much more expensive than a bottle of Prosecco is that at the highest end of the spectrum, most Champagnes are actually superior wines produced under careful and strict regulations. In fact, it is one of the most strictly regulated wine production sites anywhere in the world.
However, in the last few years, both Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine, and Cava, the Spanish sparkler, have been breaking into the consumer psyche. Producers have increased their quality and younger drinkers are now embracing these sparkling wines because they are less complex, generally have a sweeter style, are cheaper priced and thus far more desirable than high-end Champagne. Suitable for group parties.
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What should you buy?
Champagne or Prosecco or any other sparkling wine can be quite a puzzle. The answer should depend on both, what the occasion is and what type of drinker you are. If price is no barrier and you like your wine, finely produced Champagne at the upper end of the spectrum is a better bubbly any day, at least according to me.
Well-produced Champagne has a longer finish, more structure (thanks to the red wine grape used in its production, Pinot Noir, for most labels), and finer bubbles than other sparkling wines. While all non- vintage Champagnes must be aged in bottle, “on lees” for at least 15 months, it is not uncommon to come across deluxe Champagnes that undergo four to five years of aging before deglazing; And the premium ones whose age is seven to eight years.
Such a long-term and controlled method of production naturally means a superior wine that connoisseurs can appreciate. In contrast, Prosecco, the sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Italy, is also increasing its quality, but its production method is different and the complexity is also different, creating styles that are easier and more approachable.
The first thing you may notice in Prosecco is that the bubbles may not be as nice. It can be sweeter than many “Brut” Champagne styles (Brut styles typically contain about 10–12 grams of sugar per liter). Prosecco would then be compared to Demi Sec Champagne which has more sugar than the Brut style.
Sparkling wine production
The method of producing Italian sparkling also differs from the French tradition. Instead of secondary fermentation in a bottle, where carbonation occurs at high pressure, fermentation is done at low pressure in a tank. The difference in the beauty of the bubbles comes from this. However, some well-produced Proseccos are pleasant wines and you can drink them as a casual aperitif, especially if you are looking at the price-sensitive category and comparing these to Champagnes at the lowest end of the spectrum.
Spanish Cava is produced by secondary fermentation in a bottle, is less sweet than Prosecco and is typically enjoyed as an after-dinner drink. If price is a barrier (and when isn’t it?) then this can be a pretty good option too. Cava and Prosecco are both fresh wines that can be enjoyed within three years.
My favorite bubbly? Considering I was lucky enough to try them in France, it must be zero dosage, traditional Champagnes are currently quite attractive in the world of gastronomy. Some smaller producers are experimenting with styles of Champagne that are less sweet than regular brut. Some of these are “natural” Champagnes, which actually have no sugar added at all. This drink is not for everyone. Made poorly, it can be an acidic disaster. But when it is masterfully made and given structure – for example, by carefully selecting the grapes and cooking it appropriately in wood – it can be a fantastic, unusual drink. However, it is a genre that is hardly widespread. You may just have to travel to France to enjoy it.
About the author:
Anokhi Vishal is a columnist and writes on food for The Economic Times and NDTV Food, and runs the blog amoveablefeast.in. She tracks restaurant business and cuisine trends and also researches and writes about food history and the cultural connections between cuisines. Anuthi’s work with community-based cuisine led her to establish The Great Delhi Pop-Up three years ago, under which she creates heritage, regional and community-based cuisines as well as research and non-restaurant food concepts. Promotes. She has also been instrumental in reviving her community’s Kayastha cuisine, a blend of Indo-Islamic traditions, which she cooks with her family and has taken to diverse audiences across India.
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