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Bubblies that won't break the bank

There are some misconceptions when it comes to sparkling wine.

First - not all bubbles are crafted in the same manner. Second, not all sparkling wine is Champagne. In fact, you can only refer to it by that name if the wine actually comes from the region of Champagne.

This applies to all other styles of sparkling wine too, such as Cava, or Prosecco.

Sparkling wine can made be in three ways: traditional, charmat, or carbonated.

Traditional method refers to a process whereby a secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle, sealing in carbon dioxide, which creates bubbles.

Charmat is the same process, but this secondary fermentation happens in a stainless steel tank as opposed to a bottle.

Lastly, carbonated means just that - the wine is injected with carbon dioxide to make it fizzy.

Traditional method sparkling wines tend to be the most expensive, as they are the most time consuming to make. Many producers opt to age their wines for a number of years in bottle, to impart further aromas and complexity. Whereas charmat, or carbonated styles are generally meant to be enjoyed in their youth, making them a far more cost effective, and approachable style.

However, there are many examples of traditional method sparkling wines that are incredibly affordable. Here, examples of each style that won't break the bank:

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava N/V $15

Sometimes referred to as "the poor man's Champagne." This is an example of a traditional method sparkling wine. This style hails from Spain, produced with indigenous grapes known as Macabeo, Xarello (SH - arello), and Perellada (per-ee-adda).

While this style does not offer the same amount of complexity or longevity as Champagne, it is a fabulous introduction into the traditional method style. Freixenet (fresh - net) is one of the biggest producers of Cava in the world.

La Marca Prosecco N/V $20

Prosecco is an example of charmat made sparkling wine. Prosecco tends to have a higher content of sugar as well, making it a friendly and fruity style of wine that is easy to drink.

It has garnered much popularity in recent years for these reasons. Prosecco hails from the Veneto region in northern Italy, made predominantly with a grape known as Glera, but often blended with a variety of other native grapes.

Monster Vineyards 2017 Rosie $19.90

This wine is a blend of merlot, malbec, cabernet franc and syrah, with a minimal amount of skin contact giving it a pretty pink hue. Once fermentation is complete, a small amount of carbonation is then added, giving the wine a subtle effervescence. This wine is locally made on the Naramata Bench.




Laura Milnes is a Kelowna native and local wine professional, operating her own wine and hospitality consulting company. Laura is WSET certified, and continually expands her wine knowledge through education, research and travel. You can find Laura hosting wine related pop up events and consulting with wineries throughout the Okanagan with a focus on wine education and training. The rare time Laura is not reading about, or tasting wine, you can find her travelling with her partner, cooking or doing DIY projects for her home. To learn more about wine check out her Instagram page @silkandcoupe.



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