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There are times when even the most avid of wine drinkers face a dilemma when deciding what to drink with that perfect meal or perfectly curated dessert. Sometimes only sparkling wine will be the perfect accompaniment to whatever it is you’re eating. Other times you want the complexities of a good still wine. When I first began my journey into the world of wine, I used to wonder how wine was made. As I started drinking more wines and ventured into sampling sparkling wines, the question lingered because one can immediately tell they are different in appearance and taste. This question may seem a bit rudimentary to more seasoned oenophiles everywhere, but I still sometimes wonder in my “wandering” as an oenophile, what are the distinct differences between still and sparkling wines. I think it’s first important to note that even though there are differences between the two, both can be a great meal enhancer.
Let’s start with some basics. The main difference between still and sparkling wine is, still wine is wine that is not effervescent or sparkling, while sparkling wine contains significant levels of carbon dioxide that cause it to be fizzy or “sparkly”. It’s further important to note that not all sparkling wine is considered champagne. The term Champagne has been reserved to identify sparkling wine that is produced in the Champagne region of France by the Champagne Method. But that’s a different blog at another time.
Still Wine
Generally, still wine is wine that does not contain carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is that element that causes drinks such as your favorite soft drink to be fizzy. A majority of wines made in the U.S. and abroad are still wines. They tend to contain alcohol levels anywhere between 6% to 14% and are “still” in appearance, thus having no effervescence because the carbon dioxide has been removed through the fermentation process. Still wines come in a variety of styles – from sweet to dry, red, rose and white.
Still wines start with the harvesting of grapes. This process is done either manually or by machine. The method used is determined by the vineyard owner. No one way is better, but many winemakers believe performing this process mechanically can damage the grapes. Once picked, grapes are sent through a machine that crushes them to remove the juice from the skins, seeds and stems. After the grapes have gone through the crushing process and grape juice has been separated from the skins, the process of fermentation begins. This can be one of the most crucial process in wine making because this is where grape juice turns into alcohol. During fermentation, yeast is added to the must which is a combination of the grape skins, juice and stems. The yeast transforms sugars that are present into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Fermentation can be performed in steel tanks, wooden vats or barrels contained in huge holding rooms. Once fermentation is complete solids and proteins are removed from the wine and it is moved into barrels or stainless steel tanks where it is aged before the final stage of bottling. Aging is the process that can produce a smoother, finer tasting wine…or not depending on your palate!
Sparkling Wine
Conversely, sparkling wine starts out going through the same process as still wine. The only difference sparkling wine is that it contains significant levels of carbon dioxide. Additionally, sparkling wine goes through a second fermentation process; one to turn the grape juice into still wine and a subsequent fermentation where the wine maker again adds yeast and sugar to convert the added sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, which yields the effervescence that is characteristic of sparkling wine. When fermentation takes place in a closed container, carbon dioxide is contained in the wine, which creates its effervescence.
At the end of the day, whether you choose still or sparkling wine, each one can add a distinct pleasure, dimension and enjoyable experience to whatever you’re eating. You should ultimately drink what you like because there are no fast rules to wine drinking. Until then, drink responsibly and enthusiastically!