I do rather have a penchant for bubblies, particularly MCC, but it can be an expensive exercise..
I spent a little time finding out a bit more about how Prosecco is made and of course comparing it with other methods of making sparkling wine. There is so much fabulous information out there. If you don't already know Wine Folly (www.winefolly.com), they just released another great infographic- see their poster on the left - which illustrates these methods well.
I am always blown away at how much work goes into making Champagne (aka Méthode Champenoise) and thought it best to share this alongside the question of why we don't have a Prosecco equivalent in South Africa; It seems a distinctly more cost-effective means of making a sexy bubble for everyday drinking.
Prosecco is made using the Charmat method and more about that below.
There are really only 4 methods of making sparkling wine:
CLASSIC METHOD
This covers Méthode Champenoise, Método Classico and Méthode Traditionelle - which all are essentially fermented twice - once in the tank and once again in the bottle - as is done in the Champagne region in France. In South Africa, we have coined the term Méthode Cap Classique(MCC) for wines made in this method. We even have our very own Cap Classique association - see HERE. We can't call our bubblies Champagne as this is the sole prerogative of those French wine growers in the Champagne region. The towns of Reims & Epernay (the centre of the universe as far as Champagne producers are concerned) are about 2 hours east of Paris. Unless of course you don't check your GPS too well and take 5 hours to get there via Belgium! I was in fact really surprised when visiting there a few years back(via Belgium), that they were not big farms dotted throughout the area like ours, but in fact many were represented along a single boulevard, cheek by jowl! Veuve Clicquot, Dom Perignon, Mercier, Pol Roger - all on 'Rue de Champagne'!!
Champagne usually only contains Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Petit Meunier grapes but in South Africa and elsewhere many other varieties are used, so do try them out to see what you like best. Of course we have Pinotage and Chenin bubblies in South Africa.
When we were in Burgundy (just south of Champagne) we enjoyed their bubbles which they call Cremant. They were very well priced and delicious. In Spain it is called Cava (also delicious and I found them mostly really inexpensive), not to be confused with the dreadful Kava - the slightly sedative narcotic drink commonly consumed in the South Pacific islands made from pepper roots! Kava tastes, and looks a tad like dishwater...
So what is the process followed for the Classic Method?
It starts with the making of a still wine, but in order to start the wine with a lower level of ripeness, thus a lower level of alcohol, the grapes for bubbly are picked a little earlier. This is done because more alcohol is produced in the 2nd fermentation process and the alcohol levels need to be kept in line.
The first round of fermentation usually takes place in stainless steel tanks, after which it is bottled. Once in the bottle, a second fermentation is then activated by adding a little sugar and yeast to this closed environment. Simply put, the yeast eats the sugar and releases carbon dioxide and builds up pressure in the bottle - up to 90 pounds per square inch. This process, along with aging that takes place during the second fermentation, is called en tirage. Temperature is very important during second fermentation. The cooler the fermentation, the finer the bubbles in the finished product. So wines en tirage are often stored in very cool cellars. The wine is kept and matured on these dead yeast cells 'on the lees' which is termed 'sur lie' in French, and can be anything from 6 months to 5 years as far as I know. The bottles are stored in great square cages(see pic on left).
After the maturation/en tirage process, the bottles need to be rotated for the lees to collect in the neck of the bottle for easy extraction. Of course this takes a little bit of movement daily until the bottle moves from being horizontal to being vertical(called remuage or riddling), for the murky lees to be removed through the degorgement process. At some producers the remuage is still done manually, though I am sure there are not too many who still do this. Most farms use an automated process, using a machine called a 'gyropalette', that can process and turn 500 bottles in a single operation, trimming down the usual manual process from 6 weeks to 1 week. However, a skilled 'remueur' can still handle roughly 40,000 bottles a day, with the bottles placed neck down in a wooden ‘pupitre’ (A-frame-shaped riddling rack). Not too shabby for a day's work.
On completion of remuage, the bottles are neck-down (‘sur pointes’) and ready for disgorgement. (degorgement)
The neck of the bottle is frozen, the dead yeast cells are extracted and the liquid is topped up with a 'dosage' - usually sugar or wine to fill the partially empty bottle. This is also known as liqueur d'expedition and the sweetness of this can vary.
These wines are then corked with a wider cork than a wine bottle, as these bubblies have an enormous pressure build-up - about 3 times the pressure of your car tyres! No wonder the bottles are thicker and the wirecage is put on as a safety measure!
Making Méthode Champenoise is clearly a lengthy, resource-heavy process and it is a miracle in fact, that we can still buy MCCs from about R100 a bottle. Once you know how much effort goes into making them - you will appreciate them sooo much more.
I am exhausted and thirsty just writing about it - so do take a moment to consider ALL this hard work when you next enjoy your MCC or Champagne!
We have a great selection in our Online SHOP if you would like some delivered to your door!
CHARMAT METHOD
This is when the 2nd fermentation process takes place in tanks and not bottles - which is how the Italians make their Prosecco and Lambrusco. Prosecco is made in the Veneto region, just north of Venice, and usually made with Prosecco or Glera grapes.
As there is considerably less labour required for this process - the cost and hence retail price of this wine is less than Champagne or MCC, but usually still more than carbonated.
Anyone in South Africa making bubbles in this way?
TRANSFER METHOD
The wine is put through secondary fermentation in the bottle, then all the bottles are emptied into a tank and the yeast sediment is filtered out. It is then rebottled under pressure. This seems like a rather labour-intensive process. I am not sure that anyone in South Africa does this?
CARBONATED
This is the least expensive process - which is just adding gas to already-made still wine.
I welcome any input / additions to this article - please tell me if you are making anything in the Charmat or Transfer method and how we would recognise it as such.
Comments welcome!
Is there a great gap in the market for a less complex bubbly wine but still has the same cachet as MCC?
All credit to my sources:
http://www.champagne.fr/en/from-vine-to-wine/wine-making/riddling-to-final-corking/riddling
http://winefolly.com/review/champagne-vs-prosecco/