Grapevine

Sparkling wine has a reputation as a ‘special occasion’ beverage – but this is changing. While higherend sparklings will likely remain a rare treat for most consumers, a growing number of American wine drinkers are reaching for bubbly more frequently, making it one of the fastest growing segments of the market. In Northern Virginia alone, roughly a dozen wineries offer something fizzy on the menu, made either on premise or in partnership with another location.

Patricia Kluge of Kluge Estate (now Trump Winery) started the trend for highend Virginia sparklings by inviting French winemaker Claude Thibaut to Virginia as a consultant, leading to the release of their first Blanc de Chardonnay in 2007. Today, Claude is half of the ThibautJanisson partnership which is one of the best-known sparkling wines in the state.

While Thibaut-Janisson is probably Virginia’s most widely-sold VA sparkling, it’s far from alone. Last year the owners of Veritas Winery opened The Virginia Sparkling Company, dedicated to sparkling wine. This will allow local wineries a partner to finish their own sparklings Early Mountain Vineyard Brut Sparkling

Virginia Wineries: Breaking the Mold On Sparkling Winemaking

while avoiding the high startup costs involved in their production. Never again will it be difficult to find bubbles at your favorite Virginia winery.

Giving Sparkling Wine Its Fizz

Strictly speaking, sparkling is wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it. There are a number of ways to achieve this - some more complex (and expensive) than others.

Champagne is without a doubt the most famous sparkling in the world, which is why so many wish to emulate it. It’s also one of the more difficult to make, since it follows strict rules dictated by geography (only sparklings from the Champagne region of France are allowed this prestigious label), grape varietal (only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes are utilized), and method of production.

But not all sparklings need to emulate Champagne. Since sparkling can be made in many ways, a quick (but not all-inclusive) explanation of the more common methods Virginia sparklings are produced is in order:

Traditional Method (also known as the méthode champenoise). The most prestigious – and expensive – method of making sparkling wine you can find. Despite that, many winemakers chose it because it is difficult. According to Katie Henley of Casanel Vineyards, “If you don’t have a good foundation in traditional winemaking methods, it’s harder to execute flawless wine”.

Charmat Method (aka the “tank method”). Traditional method-made wines usually have more yeasty, toasty aromas and flavors, while Charmat sparklings tend to emphasize a more ‘fresh’ flavor profile. They are also less laborintensive, as they are fermented in a large steel tank as opposed to allowing fermentation to occur in the bottle (Prosecco is a great example of a Charmatmade wine). Pétillant Naturel (aka “natural sparklings”): Made in the méthode ancestrale method, Pét-Nats (as they are usually called) are usually slightly sweet with lower alcohol content – making them more of an everyday drinking wine. Pet-Nats lack the complexity of other options, but are growing in popularity as they are (relatively) easy to make and don’t hurt the wallet as badly.

Virginia Sparkling’s Coming In To Their Own

According to Claude, “There isn’t any one style” of Virginia wine. Make no mistake; a number of Virginia producers – notably Greenhill Vineyards, Thibaut-Janisson, and Veritas – produce outstanding Chardonnay-based méthode champenoise sparklings. So for those who enjoy their bubbly as ‘traditional’ as possible; Virginia has you covered.

But it would be a mistake for Virginia winemakers to