We are going to make versions of each of these wines at Mousse, but with a uniquely local spin to them using Minnesota grape varieties (for more about what grapes we'll use, see our March newsletter).
Champagne and Cava are both sparkling wines made using the méthode champenoise, or Champagne method, where the bubbles are created inside the bottle itself. In this method, the first step is to make a base wine, which is usually a tart, dry white or rosé wine without bubbles. From there, sugar and yeast are added to this base wine and then it is bottled, so that the wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, and the fine bubbles are created. Once in the bottle, the wine is aged for anywhere from a few months to a few years until it is ready to be sold. This method produces wines that are often full-bodied and dry, with wonderful yeasty aromas and flavors.
If you've ever tasted a Prosecco sparkling wine, chances are it was produced using the second way to make sparkling wines, which is called the charmat method. In this method, the second fermentation happens in a stainless steel tank rather than in individual bottles. This method is a faster process, so sparkling wines made this way are ready in a few weeks rather than months or years. This method produces wines that are fruity and crisp, and are often finished with a little bit of sweetness (though not always).
The third way of making a wine with bubbles is by injecting carbon dioxide into the wine in a stainless steel tank. Though not strictly a "sparkling wine" by federal winemaking standards, this is the fastest way to get bubbles into a wine, and is often used by cider makers and beer brewers. It's also how soda gets its bubbles. Bubbly wines made from fruit other than grapes, such as apples, pears, cranberries, etc., are often made using this method. This method helps to retain those fresh, fruity flavors in the wine, and you'll often see these wines finished with some sweetness as well.
Winemakers in France, Spain, and Italy, where they make Champagne, Cava, and Prosecco, all use particular grape varieties that grow well in their region, and those grapes make especially good sparkling wines. In this same spirit, at Mousse we will make wines using each of the three methods described above, using the grape varieties that grow especially well in Minnesota, which we know make especially good sparkling wines.
In this way, we will strive to put Minnesota on the map for sparkling wines made right here using our local grape varieties. Who knows, maybe we'll one day have our own unique word for sparkling wines made only in Minnesota ("Would you like another glass of Skol, madame?")