Most people associate Sparkling wine with New Year’s Eve and special occasions.  But sparklers are very versatile food friendly wines that pair with appetizers, entrees and dessert throughout the year especially if you know what to look for

There are a multitude of sparkling on the market today using a broad range of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Prosecco, Muscat, Chenin Blanc and even Shiraz

How is Sparkling wine made?  Here is a quick overview of the different methods.

1.  Injection Method:  The least expensive method of making a sparkling wine is to simply inject carbon dioxide into still wine.  This results in large, quickly dissipating bubbles

2. Transfer Method:  Yeast and sugar are added to a still wine in bottle resulting in a secondary fermentation in bottle.  Very much like the traditional method except that once the fermentation is complete the sparkling wine is poured into pressurized tanks, blended and filtered from the spent yeast.  Is then transferred to a clean bottle and sealed.  This method is cheaper and more timely than the lengthy traditional method.  However, because it is not aged on the lees (spent yeast) the resulting wine will lack the body, complexity and unique aromas achieved using the traditional method.

3. Charmat Method:  AKA Cuve Close or tank method.  This is an inexpensive secondary fermentation done in bulk in a pressurized tank.  Once the secondary fermentation is complete the lightly sparkling wine is filtered and bottled.  This emphasized fruity and floral aromas.  Many slightly frizzante wines such as Moscato and Prosecco are made using this method.

4. Traditional Method:  AKA Méthode Champenoise.  This is the most expensive and time consuming method but produces the finest bubbles and most complex wines.  First, the winemaker ferments a low alcohol high acid base wine.  Different lots of wine are typically blended to a house style called the cuvee.  Then the magic happens.  The Liqueur de tirage, a specialize yeast and beet or cane sugar is added to the still wine and the bottle is capped.  Over the next 20-45 days the yeast eats the sugar creating enough CO2 to create up to 6 atmospheres of pressure and 1 to 1.5 additional degrees of alcohol.  Because of the pressure the CO2 is dissolved in solution.  Were not done yet because what gives sparklers made in the traditional method its unique characteristics is the aging on the lees. The traditional method requires aging "sur lie" the horizontal bottles are repeatedly turned and in a process called "riddling" or "remuage."  This slowly moves spent yeast cells down into the neck of the bottle as they are slowly inverted over time.  Once all of the magical gunk is collected in the neck of the bottle it is fully inverted and stored "sur pointe" or on its head.  The neck of the bottle is frozen turning the gunk into an ice chunk.  The cap is removed and the ice pellet is discharged.  A bit more wine is added to replace what is lost during disgorgement this is known as the "dosage."  The dosage can be sweetened to varying levels and this is what determines the level of sweetness in the finished wine i.e. Brut, Extra Dry, Sec etc.  But we will leave that for another day.

Methode Champenoise, without getting overly complicated this simply means that the wine in the bottle you have purchased has undergone a secondary fermentation in the bottle you are holding.  Rather than made in a bulk vat or another bottle and then rebottled.  But how do you know what you're getting?  You can't really tell if your sparkling wine was made using the Transfer, Charmat, or Injection Method but you should be able to spot the Traditional Method.  Here's how.

#1 buy Champagne – Champagne can only be made in Champagne region of France If it says Champagne on the label AOC law requires that it must be made using the traditional method.  Champagne is the benchmark for all sparkling wine.

#2 Look for the phrase "Fermented in THIS Bottle."  If the label reads Fermented in Bottle this usually means made using the transfer method.

#3 Look for "Traditional Method" or "Methode Champenoise" on the label.