Come the Christmas And it is on these festive dates that the most sparkling wine of the year is consumed. In the increasing supply of this drink sometimes some doubts arise. Therefore, here we explain the differences between sparkling wines What are there among the three great options currently on the market? We want to provide you with the best information to help you choose the best alternative between the Cava, Champagne and Prosecco. Also within each of these options there are particularities but we will leave that topic for another occasion. Pay attention to how these Christmas products are to pair them with different foods!
The Champagne
It's sparkling wine best known in the world. It is also the area where the method of making this sparkling wine was discovered or invented in 1693 by the Benedictine monk Dom Pierre Pérignon.
We actually called champagne to the wine made with the ancestral method of Dom Pierre Perignon in the French geographical area of Champagne. It is made with the white grape varieties of Chardonnay and red grape Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In its elaboration the “Methode Champenoise"Which consists of carrying out a second fermentation in the bottle.
In the elaboration of this drink, a lot is usually played with the assembly or also called blend of the different varieties of grapes and even from different plots. Everything to achieve an excellent final product that is highly valued in the market with a high prestige and price.
La Protected Designation of Origin Champagne is the only one that can use the name Champagne. One of the curiosities is that this geographical area is the only one that exclusively produces sparkling wine.
Although there are some differences between these bottles, this is a drink from low alcohol content with medium acidity. The long aging gives them complex and slightly toasted flavors linked to their long aging.
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The Cava
Cavas are sparkling wines made with the method champagne called in this case traditional method, that is to say with the second fermentation in the bottle. Although the Denomination of Origin Cava It is mainly produced in Catalonia and can also be made in areas of Rioja, Navarra, Valencia, Zaragoza, Badajoz and Álava.
In the case of cavas, the large differences in front of the Champagne are not the production methods if not in the grape varieties used and obviously the territorio and the personality that this exerts. The varieties authorized by the DO Cava are Xarel.lo, Macabeu, Parellada, Chardonnay and Malvasía. In the red varieties, the authorized varieties are Garnacha Tinta, Monastrell, Trepat and Pinot Noir.
The cavas are sparkling wines medium acidity and drier with some more graduation than Champagne. The flavors are somewhat more fruity and somewhat creamier.
It should be said that in recent years and due to splits within the DO cava there differences between sparkling wines but they are very similar to cava. These are the so-called Corpinnat and Clàssic Penedès.
Prosecco
Following the differences between sparkling wines we meet him Prosecco, a wine with origin in northern Italy, in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia areas. The prosecco they are divided into sparkling, frizzing and calm. The latter are called semi-sparkling wines, although many consider them sparkling wines.
The elaboration of prosecco is based on the system "charm”. This consists of carrying out the second fermentation in tanks of stainless steel instead of bottled. This method is much more simple and inexpensive than the traditional method or “champagne".
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Another difference is the use of autochthonous varieties of the area. In this case, the variety Glera for white grapes, although the varieties Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Chardonnay, Perera, Glera lunga, Pinot Bianco and Pinot Grigio are allowed. For red grape varieties, only Pinot Noir is allowed.
As with cava and champagne, the use of different varieties in different territories produces a different result. In addition, in this case, the elaboration is not as artisanal as in the previous cases.
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The Prosecco stand out for being young sparkling wines of little aging and for this reason they are very fresh and fruity. The production method makes it a more economical and competitive product.
In conclusion, these are the differences between sparkling wines More popular. Which one do you usually consume at Christmas? Did you know the peculiarities of each one?
