Sparkling wine is any type of wine that has had both yeast and sugar added during the second fermentation process. The two combine to form carbon dioxide and alcohol, the first of which creates pressure in the bottle and causes the wine to "fizz". Sparkling wines usually have an aroma, which can range anywhere from applesauce to spiced apple, ripe pear and even fresh baked bread (due to the yeast added). The flavors may include apple, pear, citrus, strawberry, vanilla, yeast and nutty nuances. It has been said most fruit forward sparkling wines are New World, while wines with nut and yeast-like notes are Old World Champagnes.
Like your bubbly sweet or dry? Here, a primer of the 5 categories of sparkling wines:
- Extra Brut (extra dry)
- Brut (dry; food-friendly; most popular style)
- Extra Dry (moderately dry, though not as dry as Brut, but good as an aperitif)
- Demi-Sec (relatively sweet, paired with fruit and dessert)
- Sec (sweet)
Sparkling wines are also classified into "Vintage" or "Non-Vintage". Vintage wines are wines from a single year and are generally more expensive. Non-Vintage wines (NV on the label) are a blend of several different years and make up most of the market.
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