Sparkling Wine

Sparkling wine is a carbonated wine with fine bubbles and hues from pale straw to rosy pink. It shows crisp acidity with green-apple and citrus notes; cooks use it to deglaze, steam shellfish, poach fruit, and reduce for pan sauces, and it is sold as brut, extra-dry, and rosé styles. Some examples are clarified with animal-derived fining agents.

It developed in France's Champagne region and spread worldwide, with notable styles including Spanish cava and Italian prosecco. Producers capture carbon dioxide via a second fermentation either in the bottle (traditional method) or in pressurized tanks (Charmat), and modern versions are made across Europe, the Americas, and beyond.