For generations of wine drinkers Champagne has been the traditonal go-to celebratory wine. But similarly styled sparklers can be found all over Europe. Of course, only wine from the famous French region can be labeled such, but the same production technique is applied to sparkling winemaking elsewhere. Today we’ve selected five favorites each made in the traditional method, or “méthode champenoise” (a term now restricted to wines produced in Champagne). Elsewhere in France wines made in this fashion are often labelled “méthode traditionelle”, while in Italy this style of sparkler is commonly known as “metodo classico”.
The difference between the Champagne method and the Charmat method lies in the second fermentation. Unlike the Charmat method, in which secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, wines made in the traditional method undergo a second fermentation in the bottle. This is induced by adding a small amount of sugar and selected yeasts (known as liqueur de tirage). The bottle is sealed with a crown cap and then riddled so that the lees settles in its neck. After the required aging, the neck is frozen, and the cap removed. The pressure in the bottle forces out the lees, and the bottle is quickly corked with a genuine cork. The resulting wines generally offer a more opulent effervescence, and are therfore an ideal choice for the holidays!
Domaine Collin Crémant de Limoux Cuvée Rosé Brut NV (Languedoc-Roussillon, France)
$19
Orsolani “Cuvée Tradizione” Caluso Spumante Metodo Classico Brut 2006 (Piedmont, Italy)
$32
Lini 910 Lambrusco Metodo Classico Rosso 2004 (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
$36
Ricci Curbastro Franciacorta Brut NV (Lombardia, Italy)
$45
R. Pouillon & Fils Champagne “Fleur De Mareuil” Brut NV (Champagne, France)
$70
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