Did you know that a single, regular-sized bottle of sparkling wine has approximately 49 million bubbles? That’s a lot of bubbles waiting to be popped and enjoyed by you and your friends and families. These wines are some of the most popular ones in Australia, especially the red varieties that taste exceptionally good. If you’re not familiar with its qualities and taste, this guide will help you get into the sparkling wine world and enjoy every single second of it.
History of Australian Sparkly Wine
Sparkling wines aren’t anything new in Australia. Aussies have a long history with this drink. It all started with the Victorian Champagne Company. It had some success but it didn’t last long. Other winemakers were inspired by their drinks and started experimenting on their own. This brought to the world the Shiraz grapes into the mix and the sparkling reds were born in 1893.
In the 1900s winemakers all over Australia started creating their own version of the drink. The variety of choices, different tastes, textures and brands rose in popularity. Soon, there wasn’t an Australian that hadn’t heard of the exquisite Australian sparkling wine. Nowadays, the consumption of this drink is once again on the rise, with people enjoying a vast variety of choices from different brands.
Methods of Production
Traditional
The traditional production method creates the highest quality and most complex sparkling wines. It’s used by winemakers all over the world, including Australians, especially the ones in Tasmania and Adelaide Hills. This method starts by making either a cuvée or a blended base wine. Then, winemakers add a mix of yeast and sugar in the bottles to spark up a new fermentation.
This fermentation usually lasts 4-6 weeks and increases the alcohol content by 1.5%. it also keeps the carbon dioxide inside the bottle. Once done, the bottles are stored horizontally while the dead yeast cells are still inside. Leaving them inside is important for the whole process because they give the wine complexity, and texture and make it soft and mellow.
The next step is the remuage or riddling. The bottles are repositioned from a horizontal to an upright inverted position. During the following months, the lees or sediments are collected at the bottle’s neck. Then, the disgorgement process follows which takes out the lees from the wine. When they’re out, the wine is corked, a wire cage is added and it’s ready to be used.
Transfer
The transfer method is a simpler version of the traditional one, leaving out the complications and the disgorgement process. Once the second fermentation is done, the whole wine is placed into a pressurised tank. Then, it’s filtered to remove the yeast and placed into bottles again. This is a very popular method in Australia because it’s less laborious and you still get excellent wine.
Ancestral
This is the oldest, most difficult method of them all. What makes it difficult is the effort it takes to control the whole process. To stop the yeast from working, winemakers chill the tank halfway through the process. Oftentimes, they filtrate the wine at this stage, but sometimes they simply transfer it straight to the bottles and seal it. Once fermentation resumes, carbon dioxide appears in the bottle. This results in a cloudy wine.
Tank
The tank method starts the same as the first two. Once the first fermentation is finished, the wine is transferred into a pressurised tank. This is where the sugar and yeast mixture is added and the second fermentation begins. During this time, the carbon dioxide absorbs into the wine and creates bubbles. This is a cost-effective way of making Australian sparkling wine.
Carbonation
This is the simplest and the least expensive method. In this case, instead of going through all the stages mentioned above, winemakers simply inject the chilled base wine with carbon dioxide.
What are the Three Main Styles?
Dry Brut
The dry brut type of bubbly wine is the standard one. The word “brut” means that the wine has no more than 12 g/L of residual sugar. In Australia, the most common and favourite styles of dry brut wine are toast, dough, apple, grapefruit and biscuit.
Sparkling Rose
This type of sparkling wine is mostly made of Pinot Noir and it’s made the same way as a white sparkling wine. Winemakers create the colour in two different ways. The first one is by blending a little bit of red with the cuvée and it’s a very common method. The second one allows for a small contact with the skins of the red grapes during the fermentation process.
Sparkling Reds
The Australian sparkling wine reds can be medium to full bodies. They are a style on their own, very unique. When it comes to acidity, they fall in the medium range and can have aromas of spice, and black and red fruits. They can range from dry and complex to off-dry and fruity.
Best Sparkly Wine Regions
Tasmania
Tasmania is one of the best regions to make sparkling wines because of its cool, pristine climate. These wines are filled with structure and style and are mainly made with the traditional method. The ideal climate and experienced winemakers make a great combination in creating delicious and sophisticated bubbly wine.
South Australia
Adelaide Hills has a wide variety of sparkling wines. The coolness that comes from the altitude, the change of seasons and the experience and knowledge of winemakers bring us unforgettable wines. They’re creative and bold and push the boundaries in wine production every day.
Victoria
Victoria, or the Yarra Valley is known as the place where wine production in this region started. The cool climate and wonderful soil are the best combination in creating something new and unique. Winemakers use the traditional method to make their flavourful wines.
A Few Food Suggestions
Most sparkling wines from Australia are delicate. That’s why they can be great aperitifs before you take your meal. They’re also paired well with lighter starters. Restaurants often recommend them with oysters or salmon. At home, you can also enjoy them with strawberries. Just make sure they’re cooled so they match the coolness of the wine.
They also work great with umami dishes. This category includes savoury foods such as meats, cheeses and mushrooms mixed with seaweed and soy. Overall, sparkling wines go perfectly with Japanese food. Another way to drink them is with fruity desserts, duck, turkey and creamy cheeses.
