Sparkling wines

5 OCEANS SELLS A VARIETY OF "BUBBLY"

Sparkling wine is "bubbly", usually white but sometimes rose. It is given it's effervescence by carbon dioxide - which is allowed to escape in the normal wine making process. Sparkling wine is either made in the bottle, in which a secondary fermentation is introduced, or by a similar process induced in the tank, to save expense, and this is called the charmat process.

However, more inexpensive sparkling wines are made by simply introducing carbon dioxide. This causes fizziness and the wine may be said to be carbonated.

Under agreement with France, South Africa does not use the term "champagne" which is actually a geographic appelation describing the sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France. In South Africa the term METHODE CAP CLASSIC is rather used. MCC describes sparkling wines made by the classic methode champenoise. Style - Light - to medium-bodied, dry; off-dry; sweet (Brut, Sec, Demi-Sec, Doux in sparkling wine parlance); white or pink. The bubble and how it gets there forms the essence of these lively wines.

Carbonated (petillant or fully sparkling wines) have the CO2 pumped into them under pressure (same as soda water); best enjoyed as soon as possible. Charmat or Cuve

Close: the wine undergoes a second fermentation (and acquires the bubbly in the tank), then is bottled under pressure. It is a cheaper alternative to Methode Campenoise, where the second bubble-inducing fermentation takes place in the bottle; this is the classic style producing the finest bubble. Well made charmat and Methode Champenoise bubblies will improve with between one and three years' bottle-maturation.

These are wine for any and every occasion. Labels to to order are - Perle, Sparkling Wine, Methode Champenoise or our producer's brand name. The classic Champagne varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are used for the best wines; Pinotage, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and/or a few muscat varieties in some of the sweeter, carbonated wines.