If you’re living life right, every day is a bubbly day in the neighborhood. But how did those bubbles get there anyway? Bubbles in your wine bottle to be exact!
In our “What is a Bubble Girl Anyway?” Podcast episode of Somm Women Talk Wine, Charisse and I dissect every possible way sparkling wine is made. From the time and labor intensive Traditional Method, to Forced Carbonation, we’ve got it covered.
With so many options, winemakers can create exactly the style the want in the finished products. From bone dry, citrus and apple flavors with toasty brioche undertones, to crisp and fruit forward, anything is possible. What I’m most fascinated with is the fact is sparkling wine making is no longer just for those who have the capital to invest in expensive equipment and the patience to allow the bottles to percolate and magically transform for three to five years. Even self-taught wine makers doing so in their garages can now make a form of sparkling wine. Seriously!
Where did those bubbles come from anyway?
How you ask? I’ve covered sparkling wine multiple times from my “A Girls’ Gotta Have Her Bubbles” post to “No Not Petulant, Petillant”. Not once have I ever embarked on an exploration of wine making processes you can actually try at home! But before you get excited, let’s get down to the process of Forced Carbonation itself. According to Winemaker Magazine, “Carbonation is quite simply a method of injecting carbon dioxide (CO2) gas into a beverage, as done in soft drink production.”
In wineries, still wine is carbonated in highly pressurized tanks. This infuses fairly noticeable bubbles rather than soft, subtle bubbles found in sparkling wines made in the Traditional Method. Sounds simple, but considering the high amount of pressure required, extreme caution should be taken whether in a winery or at home! Consider how much pressure your Pressure Cooker creates, and kick it up a notch! While I’m totally curious about trying this, I think I’ll leave it to the experts.
Let’s pop the cork on some bubbly
In our podcast, Charisse and I pop the cork on a Forced Carbonation Sparkling Wine from Hilmy Cellars in Texas. This super crisp and fun wine blends varietals from the Texas High Plains into a summer refresher tasting of ripe melons and fragrant honeysuckle. I liked it so much I took a bottle to our Sunday Funday golf simulator outing and it earned great reviews!
So what’s the bottom line? I love Champagne, Cremant de Alsace, Cava and all the wines made in the traditional method. You can find some great values in this style, the sheer labor and aging requirements to get to the end product drive the cost up regardless. Sparklers made in the Forced Carbonation method may not have the depth and complexity, but they are delicious and make for a bubbly day in the neighborhood any day of the week! I’m a fan!
Let me know your thoughts on your favorite style of sparkling wine!
Cheers! 🍾🥂
#wine #winelover #texaswine #winesoftexas #texashighplains #sparklingwine #bubbles
