Sparkling

Defining structure

CO₂ from secondary fermentation (méthode champenoise, charmat, ancestral). ABV 11–13%; brut to doux.

History

Sparkling wine emerged in 17th-century France and England nearly simultaneously. The Dom Pérignon myth credits the Benedictine monk; in reality English cidermakers worked out the strong-glass-bottle and second-fermentation pieces independently. The 19th century brought méthode champenoise as we know it, and the 20th century globalized the form into Cava, Prosecco, and modern American sparkling.

Food pairings

• fried foods
• shellfish
• anything celebratory

Serving notes

Serve at 45°F in a tulip or wide white-wine glass; flutes hide the aromatics.