The theme for the December Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#ItalianFWT) group of food and wine bloggers is Italian Sparkling Wines.  While many are familiar with the charms of  seemingly ubiquitous Prosecco,  if you dig a bit deeper you’ll find the world of Italian sparkling wines is just as diverse at Italian cuisine!

Here’s a quick overview of Italian Sparkling Wines

In my mind, there are 4 major types of sparkling wines from Italy, which include:

1. Prosecco – made from the Glera grape using the Charmat method.  Most are classified as DOC, but Conegliano – Valdobiaddene, and Asolo are classified as DOCG (the highest quality classification for Italian wines) and are considered to be the producer of the highest quality Prosecco.
2. Metodo Classico – Refers to the method of production (see below).  The Franciacorta DOCG in Lombardy and Trento DOC from the Alto-Adige region at the base of the Swiss Alps are top of mind for me in terms of world class Italian sparkling wines.  But you’ll can also find methodo classico sparkling wine from Lombardy, Tuscany, Piemonte and Sicily.
3. Lambrusco – Lambrusco is both a red wine grape and a region within Emilia-Romagna. It is a frizzante style sparkling wine that for a long time was considered to be a low quality, sweet and frothy sparkling wine (does Reunite ring a bell anyone)?  But, nowadays, producers are making  high-quality, food-friendly dry Lambrusco.
4. Asti Spumante – Is made with Moscato grapes (aka Muscat Blanc), therefore it’s one of the sweetest sparkling wines you can buy from Italy.  It is tank-fermented but is different from Prosecco because it is fermented only once.

Methods of Production:

• Metodo Classico – The base wine is fermented once in a vessel and then undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle after the addition of yeast, nutrients for the yeast, and sugar (known as tirage). The second fermentation results in a natural sparkling wine. In this method the dead yeast (a.k.a. less) are removed during disgorgement.
• Charmat (a.k.a. Metodo Charmat, and Martinotti) the method of fermenting sparkling wine in pressurized tanks (autoclaves) and then transferring the wine into bottles under pressure
• Metodo Ancestrale – This method pre-dates the classic method used in Champagne.  It is similar to the metodo classico, except alcoholic fermentation is not completely finished when the wine is bottled.  In fact the fermentation is blocked to a precise sugar content necessary to ensure a re-fermentation in the same bottle with out the addition of sugar and yeast.  Finding sparkling wines made using this method can be a challenge, but I think they’re worth seeking out if you like your sparkling wine with a savory character.

Italian Sparkling Wine Terms

• Spumante – sparkling wine
• Frizzante – slightly bubbly, or fizzy

For more information about Italian Sparkling Wine, here is a great overview by Wine Folly.

Here’s what’s my fellow #ItalianFWT wine and food writers will be sharing!

• Lynn Gowdy of Savor the Harvest suggests a Medley of Italian Sparkling Wines #ItalianFWT
• Jeff of foodwineclick want us to add some “Sparkle Your Dessert with Moscato d’Asti“
• Jen of Vino Travels~An Italian Wine Blog will be sharing  Spaghetti with Clams and a Flight of Adami Prosecco
• Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be dishing up Italian Bubbles + Lasagna Bianca.
• Wendy of A Day In the Life on a Farm will be Celebrating Leftovers
• Kat of Bacchus Travel and Tours show us how Italian Sparklers to Light Up Your Holidays #ItalianFWT
• Lauren of the The Swirling Dervish gives us A Trio of Italian Sparkling Wines for Your Holiday Table
• Gwendolyn of the Wine Predator serves up Shrimp Pasta and Italian Sparkles from Franciacorta for Your Holiday Table
• Nicole of Somm’s Table shares Classically Contratto: Beautiful Wines from Italy’s Oldest Sparkling Wine House
• Katarina of Grapevine Adventures offers A Superior Sparkling Christmas With Bele Casel
• Susannah at Avvinare shares Lambrusco for the Holidays
• Here at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog, I’ll be sharing  A Distinctive Due of Italian Sparkling Wines #ItalianFWT

Join in the Fun!
Please join our chat on Twitter – whether you posted or not.  We love visitors and happily chat and answer questions. Simply follow the  #italianfwt hashtag on Twitter this Saturday, December 1st at 11am ET/8am PT.

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