Interesting Historical Facts About Sparkling Wines

Who doesn’t love the pop, fizz, and clink of a bubbly? A bottle of your favorite sparkling wine is perfect for celebrating a special occasion or adding fun to a Friday night dinner. Are you curious to know little secrets and fun facts about sparkling wine? Stick around because there’s much to discover.

However, if you’re a student toasting refreshing sparkling wine on vacation, enjoy convenience by enlisting a dissertation writing service to help you with academic assignments. Expert assistance will give you a much-needed breather so you have stress-free travels.

For now, let’s take a deep dive into the world of sparkling wine by checking out some interesting historical facts you probably don’t know.

8 interesting historical facts about sparkling wines

1. It was invented by mistake

The signature fizz of sparkling wine came about as an accident in northern France. The area has a cool climate, chalky soil, and hilly landscape, conditions that make grapes from the area acidic and bubbly. With time, French winemakers accidentally discovered that adding some sweetness created an unexpected fizz.

2. It’s turned regularly during fermentation

During the riddling of sparkling wine, winemakers turn and shake the bottles every two days to push the sediment to the neck of the bottle. It’s turned by a quarter or an eighth. Historically, turning was done by hand.

3. Bubbles in sparkling wines come from secondary fermentation

Sparkling wine undergoes an extra process from regular wine. After fermentation in barrels, winemakers bottle it and add yeast a second time. It undergoes a second fermentation in which the yeast eats up the sugar, creating bubbles.

4. Not all sparkling wines are champagne

Champagne is a type of sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wines are champagne. Champagne is a word used to refer to sparkling wine made only from northeastern France. Referring to sparkling wine from other parts of the world as champagne is illegal in some countries.

5. A wine glass is better than a flute

Flutes make for a fancy way to drink sparkling wine, but a typical wine glass will make you enjoy it more. Yet, it’s a historical fact that a more open glass is better for drinking sparkling wine since it allows in more oxygen, savoring the wine’s aroma.

6. No need for refrigeration

Freezing sparkling wine makes the cork dry out and allows carbonation to escape, making the drink go flat. Exposure to light also messes with the quality of the wine. A wine cellar or the back of your cupboard will do. Store it on its side to keep the cork damp, and put it on ice just before you open it.

7. Add sugar to revive the fizz

If you opened a bottle of sparkling wine and didn’t finish, there’s still hope to revive the fizz the next time you want to drink it. An easy way to add fizz is by adding some sugar to the glass before pouring the wine.

8. Some sparkling wines don’t have a vintage year

Vintage represents the year the grapes were harvested. Some sparkling wines are labeled “NV” meaning non-vintage. It means the grapes used to make the wine were harvested in different years. If the harvest in one year is not good, winemakers can blend the yields and ferment it with the next harvest.

9. It’s not just for celebrations

Some people believe that sparkling wine is reserved for special occasions or parties. However, there are no strict historical rules for serving the bubbly. After all, life itself is a celebration. Sparkling wine was historically served with salty foods, but be bold and experiment with other pairings.

Sparkling wine is well worth a try

Sparkling wines should be in your wine repertoire. If you’re yet to try this historic drink that wine lovers have enjoyed for centuries, you’ll want to try it after this. Pop open a bottle of sparkling wine with friends as you show off your knowledge learned in this post.