Whether it's a soft sigh or a loud and lively pop, the signature sound of opening a bottle of sparkling wine is always well-received. Wine lovers continue to embrace sparklers for life's important events, from weddings and anniversaries to birthdays and more. But bubbly has also found a place amid more everyday moments: at Sunday brunch, during dinner prep, while you wait at the bar for a table to open up, or when you linger over a meal with friends you haven't seen in far too long.
Winemakers around the world have answered the call, producing an impressive array of high quality and stylistically diverse sparkling wines. At Wine Spectator, we have reviewed nearly 475 sparklers in the past year, from six different countries encompassing 17 distinct wine-growing regions.
This wide array of offerings runs the gamut from crisp blancs de blancs to brambly Lambruscos, with price tags ranging from $6 to nearly $1,000 per bottle.
If you're a sparkling wine lover looking to dive even deeper into your next glass of fizz, use this guide to answer the most common questions about bubbly, to find specific recommendations at any price point and to glean insights from top sparkling winemakers around the globe.
1. How does sparkling wine get its bubbles?
Bubbly is one of the most technically complex wines to produce. Sparkling winemakers go through all of the phases of still wine production, but their work is only getting started when the first fermentation process ends and a still wine is produced: For a sparkling winemaker, the defining bubbles are yet to come.
2. What is the difference between Champagne and other sparkling wines?
Esta historia es de la edición June 30, 2022 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 30, 2022 de Wine Spectator.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Shipwrecked Champagne Hoard Discovered Near Sweden
It sometimes feels like wine has a habit of falling into the briny deep. On July 23, Polish wreck diver and underwater photographer Tomasz Stachura announced that he and his Baltictech team had discovered the wreck of a 19th-century sailing ship near Öland, an island off the coast of Sweden—and it was crammed with bottles of Champagne and mineral water.
Openings: The Latest in Napa Tasting
Several new tasting options have opened in Napa Valley, particularly in downtown Napa where wineries are launching satellite tasting rooms. Standing out from the crowd means trying new approaches. Here are some highlights:
War in Middle East Affects Vintners
The 2024 harvest at Israel’s Dalton Winery was punctuated by nonstop rocket and drone attacks launched from just across the border in Hezbollah-controlled southern Lebanon.
Wineries Sue Napa County in Federal Court
Three Napa wineries filed a joint lawsuit in federal court in September alleging that Napa County officials violated their constitutional rights.
Savoring Persimmon Season
For many, persimmons are an enigma ingredient. Chef David Nayfeld of Award of Excellence-winning Che Fico in San Francisco and its Best of Award of Excellence sibling dangling persimmons off the tree with a stick at a childhood friend's house before realizing what they were. \"I remember his parents saying, 'Hey, don't hit the persimmons, those are food!\"\"
Tasting Plate: A German Six-Pack
Though it boasts Western Europe’s largest population and biggest economy, Germany is nowhere near the cheese juggernaut its neighbors Switzerland and France are. That said, the Germans love their fine cheeses, and they do turn out some excellent ones, fortunately including more than a handful that are currently available here in the U.S.
Gigondas Blanc Est Arrivé!
Ask winemakers in the Southern Rhône to name the most exciting white grape in their region and you will hear a growing number of them say \"Clairette.\"
Kistler's DARKER SIDE
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ups the ante at the house that Chardonnay built
THE SPLENDOR OF CHAMPAGNE
THE REGION'S LEADING PRODUCERS DELIVER HIGH QUALITY AMID A DIVERSE RANGE OF STYLES
MICHAEL BATTERBERRY: 1932-2010 Gourmet, Journalist, Gentleman
Before Food Network, Top Chef or Yelp ... before the term “foodie\" ... before tomatoes were heirloom and sushi was fast food... back when fancy restaurants were always French... Michael Batterberry and his wife, Ariane, were working to celebrate and elevate the status of American chefs and international cuisine. Julie Mautner, Food Arts' former executive editor, looks at the life and legacy of her late mentor, affectionately known as The Bat.
