Colorado Wine Industry Sparkling Wine Exploration: We don’t make sparkling wine. But perhaps we should. Sparkling wine tasting, VinCO, 21 January 2016

Why should CO consider Sparkling wine production? Why was Cincinnati considered “the chief seat of wine manufacture in the United States?” What was the first US made wine to achieve fame and recognition in Europe, c. 1851? To what grape did Henry Wadsworth Longfellow write this ode: For richest and best Is the wine of the West, That grows by the Beautiful River; Whose sweet perfume Fills all the room With a benison on the giver… Longworth’s Sparkling Catawba

Why should CO consider Sparkling wine production? Nielson sales data for 52 weeks ending Oct. 10, 2015: Sparkling wine sales up 10% by $, 7.7% by volume Sparkling rosé up 11.4% in $, 5.7% in volume Rosé table wine >$7.99/750ml up 74.8% by $, 71.4% by volume 10% and growing of CO acreage planted to cold- tolerant grapes that are naturally low pH/high acid Sparkling wine mostly sold by brands and styles and seldom by varietal Consumer seldom asks what grapes are used to make a sparkling wine Growing segment particularly among younger drinkers willing to be more experimental

Why should CO consider Sparkling wine production? Grapes with lower sugars, low pH/high acid preferable for sparkling Lead to greater flavor concentration and more aroma preservation The goal of grape growing is the highest crop level with the least amount of winter kill Higher crop loads even desirable for sparkling Harvesting at lower brix allows more carb accumulations in the vine to increase winter hardiness Larry Mawby on Leelanau Penn. in MI harvests 2-3 weeks earlier than other growers

Examples 1A and 1B Illinois Sparkling Wine Company (Peru, IL): “Less Champagne, More Campaign” 1A, Base wine: 2015 IL White Chambourcin Whole berry press TA = 8.1g/L, pH = 3.10 10.6% alc. 1B finished sparkler: 2012 Franken’s French Hybrid Brut Méthode champenoise Disgorged 12/9/15 12.5% alc. RS = 1.18% (Australia uses sugar to offset tannins in sparkling Shiraz) $20.00

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine If it’s not Champagne, it is sparkling wine Different processes: méthode champenoise or méthode tranditionnelle Charmat bulk process (Metodo Italiano) done in large tanks Transfer method: 2nd fermentation in the bottle, then transferred to tank for blending, dosage and final bottling. Minimizes bottle variation Gas injection: not allowed in EU sparkling wines without labeling “adding CO2” méthode ancestrale, pétillant naturels, méthode rurale: 2nd fermentation in the bottle but without disgorgement; often a bit sweet and cloudy Blanquette de Limoux (Languedoc) is thought to be the oldest French sparkling wine. Local mythology says Dom Perignon learned his craft here before going to Champagne Almost every country makes Sparkling wine Cremant in France (Alsace, Bordeaux, Loire for example) Prosecco (dry) or Spumante (sweet) in Italy Sekt in Germany Cava in Spain

Example 2 Von Schleinitz 2014 Riesling “Secco” Dry Style (Mosel) Alc. 11.5% $14.99 Perlwein or semi-sparkling EU regulations require >3 atmospheres (14.696 psi) of pressure in the bottle of sparkling wine Champagne and most fully sparkling wines are 5-6 atmospheres (twice an automobile tire) Semi-sparkling wines 1-1.25 atmospheres of pressure and include spritzig (Germany), frizzante (Italian), pétillant (French)

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine méthode champenoise or méthode tranditionnelle Base wine: highly acidic; often blended in the assemblage to achieve a consistent house style Liqueur de tirage: dosage of sugar and yeast added to the base when sealed in the bottle for secondary fermentation that creates CO2 and sediment or lees Bottle aging increases lees character, complexity and settles dead yeast Disgorgement: neck frozen in salt/ice bath, cap removed and pressure expels the sediment Dosage added to refill the missing liquid before final corking

Example 3 Gruet Blanc de Noirs (American, Albequerque, NM) méthode champenoise Alc. 12% RS = 1% pH = 3.12 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay $17 on-line, $13.99 Hazels

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine Champagne is only from the appellation in France Employs solely méthode champenoise Chard, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier also some Pinot Blanc, Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbanne Residual sugar, left from stopped fermentation due to northern cold, refermented in the bottle and became sparkling Thought to be flawed for centuries but no one knew the cause

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine Champagne, a bit of history Dom Perignon actually tasked with preventing secondary fermentation 16th C: “still” wine from Champagne shipped in barrels to England bottles were made in coal fires, so stronger than French glass, and sealed with corks the secondary fermentation carbonation was not destructive Christopher Merret pointed to RS as the source of CO2 in 1662

Example 4 Monopole Heidsieck (Reims) methode champensoise Classic non-vintage expression of negociant-manipulant or merchant winemaker Founded 1785, one of the oldest houses 80% Pinot Noir and Meunier, 20% Chard Alc. 12% $45 on sale for $39.99

Champagne vs. Sparkling Wine méthode champenoise dosage: Brut Nature: unsweetened base wine added, 0-3 g/L sugar Extra Brut: 0-6 g/L added to base Brut: 0-12 g/L Extra Dry: 12-17 g/L Dry: 17-32 g/L Demi-sec: 32-50 g/L Doux: >50 g/L Brut with wedding cake is a bad combination

Example 5 Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé (Mareuil-sur-Ay) methode champensoise All 3 primary grapes vinified red This is the standard reference for fine NV rosé Founded 1818, family owned Alc. 12% $90

Example 6 Robert Moncuit Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru (Les Mesnil sur Oger) methode champensoise “Propriétaire de Vignes” indicates a récoltant –manipulant (RM) Base wine is 2010 with 20% 2009 reserve 30% cuvee is aged in oak, not typical 8g/L dosage 3.0L bottle = Jereboam: less air to wine ration maintains dissolution of CO2 better $306

Colorado Wine Industry Sparkling Wine Exploration: We don’t make sparkling wine. But perhaps we should. Sparkling wine tasting, VinCO, 21 January 2016