Softly Sparkling Wines
Vintage image sourced on Pinterest
I’m a big fan of the bubbles. Champagne, Crémant, Franciacorta, all the Sparkling Wines. But I also know that feeling when you’ve just had enough bubbly for the night, when that tickle in the back of your nose is getting stronger and you’re starting to feel a bit burbly from the sheer amount of bubbles that have entered your belly. If you’re someone who is extra sensitive to that feeling, it might even keep you from enjoying sparkling wines altogether.
Softly sparkling wines offer an alternative, a mid-way point with a gentler bubbly experience that can be enjoyed longer before any back-of-the-nose-tickle, or even just during those more casual gatherings when a full “pop” feels extravagant, whereas a soft “psssst” feels as chill as cracking open a beer. These are wines that go by many names in many countries: frizzante, pétillant, perlant, perlwein, pearlwine, spritzig, vin con aguja or vinho frisante. Whatever they’re called, they’re always softly, gently sparkling.
Stuff to know
Sparkling wines can have different levels of bubbles, corresponding with different levels of pressure captured in the bottle; from the 5-6 bars Champagne usually has, higher than the pressure in most car tires, down to the 1-2.5 bars of pressure usually found in the softly sparkling wines included in this tasting.
You’ve probably noticed that Champagne usually comes in a thick, heavy glass bottle - it’s not just for prestige, but for safety, since glass can (and has) shattered under the high levels of pressure captured in the bottle. Softly sparkling wines will usually use slightly lighter and thinner glass bottles than Champagne.
The pressure (and bubbles) are there thanks to the carbon dioxide, or CO2, that’s produced during fermentation. All wine fermentations produce CO2 as sugar is converted into alcohol, but the CO2 is only captured and dissolved into the wine when a sparkling wine is being created. This process of capturing and dissolving the CO2 into the wine builds pressure, so there are special winemaking and bottling methods used to make sure the pressure remains, both before and after bottling. Some of these methods are described in the tasting guide for Sparkling Wine Essentials, so in this guide, we’ll just zoom in on the methods most commonly used to make softly sparkling wines, with the exception of Satèn Franciacorta, which uses the traditional method described in Sparkling Wine Essentials, just with a bit less sugar at tirage.
Ancestral method. This method is most commonly associated with pétillant-naturel (or Pet Nat) wines, though there are others styles that use this method, too. Many of these wines use beer-style crown caps, rather than corks, though there’s no requirement either way. During fermentation, the partially fermented must is bottled, and the fermentation process keeps going in each closed bottle, creating bubbles thanks to the captured CO2. How far along the fermentation was before bottling will impact how much effervescence is captured. Sometimes, there will be cloudy or sand-like sediment made up of dead yeast in the bottom of these bottles, though it’s up to the winemaker to decide whether to remove this prior to final bottling or not. This process is considered to be the first method of making sparkling wine, hence “ancestral,” used long before there was any real scientific understanding of yeasts and their goings-on. It’s a difficult-to-control method, since fermentation can go awry after bottling, slowing and leaving a barely sparkling sweet wine or speeding up, increasing the effervescence and pressure, making dry, fully sparkling wines. Most end up softly sparkling and dry or off-dry though. The ancestral method has become increasingly popular in recent years as winemakers have pursued natural winemaking with a focus on artisan-style, back-to-basics methods.
Tank method. This method is typically used when the desired style of wine is intended to express more of the grape’s inherent character. Think fruity, herbal or floral rather than the toasty, nutty flavors created with lees aging. Instead of undergoing a second fermentation in a wine bottle, wines will undergo the whole process inside of a tank. After the first fermentation, sugar and yeast are added to start a second fermentation inside a pressurized tank, so that the pressure (and bubbles) stay in the wine. Once the winemaker is happy with the amount of pressure and residual sugar remaining in the wine, they’ll chill the tank to stop the fermentation before finishing the wine and bottling it under a counter-pressure system, so the bubbles stay in the wine. Since this method is easy to control, winemakers can simply choose to create softly sparkling, rather than fully sparkling, wine like Prosecco Frizzante.
Asti method. Yup, you guessed it: this method is most closely associated with Moscato d’Asti. It’s a variation of the tank method, since it still uses pressurized tanks…but instead of two fermentations, the Asti method uses just one fermentation, much like the ancestral method. When the fermentation first gets going, the CO2 is allowed to escape through a valve. When the winemaker chooses, the valve is closed and the CO2 stays inside, creating bubbles as it dissolves into the wine. When the valve is closed and when the fermentation is stopped will impact how sweet and how sparkling the wine ultimately becomes, both choices up to the winemaker’s preference.
Carbonation. This is basically the process used to create soda or sparkling water, where CO2 is injected under pressure into a fully fermented, still wine. These bubbles tend to be bigger and more aggressive than the ones created with other methods, and they tend to die off quicker, too. It’s a method often used for softly sparkling wines like Vinho Verde or Txakolí, since it’s easily controlled and can add just a gentle kiss of bubbly.
What to look for in this tasting
The commonality here is in the theme: all of these wines are softly sparkling. Beyond that, there is a huge range of aromas, flavors, acidity levels and even tannin levels in these wines. Some are white, some are rosé, some are red and some are shades that fall somewhere in between. Some are sweet or off-dry (lightly sweet), though many are dry. In this case, it’s best to get into the wine descriptions themselves to get a better idea of what you’re in for beyond the bubbles.
The wines
#1: Pétillant-Naturel
Pétillant-Naturel, or Pét-Nat, wines are made using the ancestral method, a centuries-old way of making sparkling wine that doesn’t require as much time or special equipment as the traditional or Charmat (tank) methods. The bottles are typically crown-capped, and the fizz is usually soft and gently bubbly, though there can be wide variances even between two bottles of the same wine.
To make a Pét-Nat, there is only a single fermentation. Traditional method sparkling wines like Champagne and Charmat method sparkling wines like Prosecco undergo a first fermentation, then a second one is induced in a pressurized environment, creating and capturing the bubbles. By contrast, Pét-Nats are bottled when the first fermentation isn’t quite finished yet, so that the yeasts continue doing their thing, eating the sugars in the juice and releasing alcohol and CO2, all of which are captured in the bottle, creating a gentle fizz. Many Pét-Nats have low alcohol levels and some cloudiness or yeast sediment at the bottom of the bottle, kind of like kombucha, but there are filtered ones that are clear as glass, too.
Pét-Nat wines hit peak trendiness about a decade ago, but sales are still going strong and frankly, they should be, since there are many that are simply delightful and somehow casual, the kind of wines that are perfect for weeknights and summer barbecues.
Look for a white, orange or rosé Pét-Nat from any country, made with any grape variety or varieties for this tasting.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Rosé de Limoux or méthode ancestrale rosés from Bugey-Cerdon, Clairette de Die or Beaujolais
#2: Moscato d’Asti
Moscato d’Asti is both hugely popular and frequently dismissed. It’s a softly sparkling wine with a low alcohol level and plenty of sweetness that backs up the lush aromas and flavors of orange blossom, fresh peach and ripe grapes. So sure, it’s easily dismissed as an “unserious” wine, best enjoyed sitting outside over lunch (or brunch). But please don’t let those characteristics convince you that these aren’t seriously good quality wines.
Moscato d’Asti has been made in Piedmont, one of Italy’s most prestigious wine regions, for more than 150 years using a then-innovative method specially named for the wine made with a grape that’s been grown in the region since Roman times.
Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains, which goes by Moscato Bianco in Piedmont, is widely considered the best of the Muscat family, known for its outrageously abundant aromas that you’ll smell long before your nose nears the rim of the glass.
For this tasting, look for a Moscato d’Asti, rather than an Asti Spumante, since the latter wines will be fully sparkling instead of softly sparkling, or frizzante.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Canelli or Canelli Riserva
#3: Prosecco Frizzante
Prosecco is the go-to sparkling wine for many cocktails, especially spritzes, but please don’t think that makes them too basic to be enjoyed solo. Prosecco can only be made in the Prosecco DOC and Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo DOCG regions in northeastern Italy. Most Prosecco wines are made using Glera, a grape variety known for its fruity pear and floral aromas. The tank method of sparkling wine production is used here to let Glera’s character shine without competing aromas and flavors from lees aging.
The area where Prosecco can be grown and produced is huge, but within the larger area is the smaller heart of the region, Conegliano Valdobbiadene (try saying that name that five times fast). This is where terraces built into steep hills support the vines growing between historical villages. As is often true in wine regions, the best wines come from the steepest sites at higher altitudes where machines simply can’t do most of the work. Beyond variations in terroir, there are several styles of Prosecco, including the recently added category of Rosé Prosecco. Keep a careful eye on the dosage levels in Prosecco - there’s a big difference in sweetness between Brut and Extra Dry.
For this tasting, look for a Prosseco with the word “frizzante” on the label. Proseccos labeled “spumante” are fully sparkling instead of softly sparkling.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Prosecco Frizzante, preferably from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene or Asolo DOCGs
#4: Franciacorta Satèn
Franciacorta is Italy’s answer to Champagne. The story behind the name Franciacorta is up for some debate, but the general theory is that in the 11th century, monks claimed and managed a lot of farmland around Lake Iseo. Since they were monks, the lands became exempt from taxes and started to be called “Francae Curtes,” quite literally “lands free of taxes.”
A few centuries later in the 1990s, Franciacorta became an official wine region. The producers in Franciacorta chose to base their new region’s wines on quality, rather than quantity. Franciacorta wines are all made using the traditional method and have longer minimum age requirements than Champagne, some of the strictest in any sparkling wine region worldwide. When you consider that Franciacorta is just two hours’ drive from Milan, it makes sense that the wines would need to be really good to compete with Champagne amongst the fashion set. Today, Franciacorta is more popular than Champagne in Italy, even though the region and its total production is much smaller.
Franciacorta wines are made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with some Pinot Blanc and local variety Erbamat. Styles include non-vintage, rosé, Millesimato (vintage) and Riserva (vintage with even longer aging). There’s also a style unique to Franciacorta, called Satèn, which can only be made from Chardonnay and has a lower pressure than Champagne, so the wines’ texture feels smooth, hence the name “satin.” Franciacorta Satèn must be aged for at least 24 months on the lees and must always be Brut, resulting in softly sparkling wines with intense complexity and aromas and flavors like golden apple, lemon, crème brûlée, brioche and hazelnut.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Stick with a Franciacorta Satèn
#5: Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde (”veen-oh vehr-day”), which translates to “green wine,” sits in the northwestern-most corner of Portugal, a region where Atlantic rain, winds and moderating influences dominate the climate. This is a land of water, with the ocean to the west, the River Minho to the north, bordering Spain, the River Douro and the city of Porto in its south and a whole network of river valleys in between.
Technically, there are white, red and rosé Vinho Verde wines, but the white ones are the most widely available. Most Vinho Verde wines are comprised of not one, but several different grape varieties, with Loureiro and Alvarinho as the top two, while others like Pedernã, Avesso and Trajadura are often in the mix, too. These are young wines, hence the “green,” usually enjoyed just months after the harvest. They’re meant to be refreshing, with low alcohol levels and a distinctively subtle fizz from adding CO2 that you can hear when you open the bottle, often with a screw cap, though sometimes with a cork. These wines tend to be light, fresh and softly fruity, with delicate flavors of lime, pear, peach and honeydew melon.
There is a second style of Vinho Verde that’s been emerging in recent years. Wines that feature Loureiro or Alvarinho prominently on the label tend to be riper, with more concentrated flavors, higher alcohol levels and less, or even no added fizz. Loureiro-based Vinho Verde wines tend to be more citrus-forward, with flavors of lime, green apple and jasmine, sometimes with honey or pineapple flavors. Alvarinho is the same grape variety as Albariño across the border in Spain’s Rías Baixas, and these wines tend to have flavors of grapefruit, lemon, peach, passion fruit and orange blossom, with the occasional honey or nutty flavors.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Txakolí
#6: Lambrusco
Lambrusco enjoyed massive popularity in the 70s and 80s, though it really didn’t do the style any favors in the long run. As always happens during a fad, some producers began to make bulk wines that leaned too far toward fast and cheap in their attempts to meet growing demand, ultimately de-valuing the perception and reputation of Lambrusco, so that many Americans assumed all Lambruscos were sickly sweet wines serving as alcoholic equivalents to soft drinks.
Luckily, the fad has long passed, and the focus has shifted back to quality. Lambrusco is from Emilia-Romagna, an Italian region best known for its foods: balsamic vinegar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, tortellini, tagliatelle, Mortadella and more. It’s known as “food valley” in Italy, probably the only region where wine doesn’t share the spotlight with the food.
Lambrusco, a softly sparkling red (or sometimes rosé) wine, often with just a touch of sweetness, is nevertheless the perfect pairing partner for all of those bold flavors. Lambrusco is made from a family of different grapes like Lambrusco Salamino, Lambrusco di Sorbara and Lambrusco Grasparossa, and producers use a variety of different methods to craft their wines, so it’s not always easy to tell which style of Lambrusco you’re going to get based on the label. Some have a deeper color and more tannin, some are delicate, almost rosés, some are softly frizzante, and some lean more toward a fully sparkling spumante. Quality-focused producers like Lini 910, Cleto Chiarli and Podere Giardino are pretty much always safe bets, whichever style you choose.
Look out for red fruit flavors like strawberry, cherry, raspberry and red plum with floral notes, especially violets and roses. There are tannins in these wines, sometimes more than you might expect in a sparkling, though their presence makes them an ideal pairing with burgers in my opinion. There’s always plenty of refreshing acidity, and sometimes, there will be a hint of sweetness that gives just enough balance to the rich flavors and tannins to make you want to take another sip.
What to ask for: Ask by name
Alternative(s): Brachetto Frizzante, Sangue di Giuda
Tasting tips
The eats
Like most sparkling wines, softly sparkling wines pair with pretty much everything. I’m particularly partial to the combination of fried foods and bubbly, but as its currently peak summer in my corner of the world, where Swedish Midsommar will dominate our weekend plans, it feels like the right time to grill and eat strawberry everything for dessert. You could grill anything from burgers to swordfish, vegetable skewers to Mexican-style street corn, and all of it will be delicious with these wines. In all honesty, I’d be content even with just potato chips as a pairing here.
If you prefer to take a charcuterie approach, aim for mild, creamy cheeses like chèvre, Brie or even melted Swiss fondue. Meat-wise, milder flavors like Speck or Prosciutto are a good fit, and the snack-y accoutrements can range from crunchy corn nuts to figs, honey, toasted pecans, dried apricots, peak-season strawberries and slices of Granny Smith apples.
The prep
Some of these wines may take a bit longer to find, depending on where you and your guests live. I recommend giving your guests at least two weeks to find their respective wines before gathering for your tasting.
This is one of those tastings where a bit of extra equipment will go a long way in making the experience better for you as a host. Two items that I highly recommend having on hand:
Ice buckets. With sparkling wines, even softly sparkling ones where the pressure isn’t quite as high as it is in standard sparkling wines, properly chilling isn’t just about the tasting experience. It’s about safety. Chilling sparkling wines reduces the pressure in the bottles, so that the risk of a rogue cork and wasted wine is dramatically diminished. Taking a few extra minutes to chill: worth it.
Sparkling wine stoppers. If you can swing 6 of these, fantastic. Mine somehow always go missing, so I’m not even sure how many are left in my liquor cabinet at the moment. Once all of your bottles are opened for tasting, bubbles will leak out, flattening the wines. If you put these stoppers on between pours, you can dramatically extend the life of the wine and its bubbles.
I didn’t mention champagne flutes or coupes here, and that was intentional. I recommend using white or universal wine glasses unless you have tulip-shaped sparkling wine glasses. I’ve also drunk these wines out of insulated stemless stainless steel cups when in glass-free locales like certain beaches and parks.
A note on the tasting order: The wines are listed in the order of which should be included first. If you have fewer than 6 wines/guests, you’ll still have a well-rounded experience. However, the order in which you taste the wines, regardless of how many wines are included, is recommended as follows:
Vinho Verde
Prosecco Frizzante
Pétillant-Naturel
Franciacorta Satèn
Moscat d’Asti
Lambrusco
