The language of sparkling wine

Wine sparkles when carbon dioxide that is dissolved in the wine escapes – bubble by tiny bubble. Carbon dioxide gets into the wine via a second fermentation which either happens in a tank or in a bottle. If it happens in tank, it is called Charmat method, if it happens in bottle, it is called traditional method. This means that grapes are fermented and made into a still base wine, yeast and just the right amount of sugar are added to it, and the still base wine then undergoes a second fermentation to become a sparkling wine. The yeast ferments the sugar into alcohol and the carbon dioxide also produced during fermentation is trapped in the sealed bottle or tank and makes the wine sparkle. Another important element is time and interaction with the spent yeast: the finest sparkling wines age for years to emerge with the finest mousse and the most complex yet fresh flavours.