Sparkling wine is a wine with a significant level of carbon dioxide, making it bubbly. Commonly referred to as champagne, EU countries legally reserve this term for products made exclusively in the Champagne region of France. Usually sparkling wine is white or rosé, but there are examples of red sparkling wines such as Italian Brachetto, Bonarda and Lambrusco, Australian sparkling Shiraz and Azerbaijani "Pearl of Azerbaijan" made from Madrasa grapes. The sweetness of sparkling wine can range from very dry Brut styles to sweeter Doux (French for "raw" or "sweet") styles.
The sparkling quality of these wines derives from their carbon dioxide content and can be the result of natural fermentation, either in the bottle, as in the traditional method, in a large tank capable of withstanding the pressures encountered (as in the Charmat process), or as a result a simple carbon dioxide injection in some cheaper sparkling wines.
In EU countries, the word "champagne" is by law reserved only for sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France. The French terms mousseux and crémant refer to sparkling wine that is not produced in Champagne, such as B. Blanquette de Limoux, which is made in the south of France. Sparkling wines are made all over the world and are often referred to by their local name or region, such as: B. Espumante from Portugal, Cava from Spain, Prosecco, Franciacorta, Trento DOC, Oltrepò Pavese Metodo Classico and Asti from Italy (the generic Italian term). for sparkling wine as Spumante) and Cap Classique from South Africa. Sparkling wines have been produced in Central and Eastern Europe since the early 19th century. "Champagne" gained further popularity in the region late in the century when József Törley began production in Hungary using French methods he learned as an apprentice in Reims. Since then, Törley has developed into one of the largest European sparkling wine producers. The United States is now a major sparkling wine producer with producers in numerous states. Sparkling wine production has recently resumed in the UK after a long hiatus.
