Classic Method or Martinotti Method?
We have seen so far what the history of Vino Prosecco is, its territory and the procedural guidelines that regulate it.
Let’s now deal with the method of vinification of this wine: we will start with a general overview about the world of sparkling wines and then we will distinguish the two methods of sparkling process.
SPUMANTE
According to the procedural guidelines CE 479/08 [1], the technical definition of spumante is ‘The product obtained from the first or second alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape must and wine, which is characterised, when the container is uncorked, by the development of carbon dioxide deriving exclusively from fermentation and which is stored at 20 C° in closed containers. It has an overpressure of not less than 3 bar due to carbon dioxide and for which the total alcoholic strength of the batches (cuvée) intended for its processing is not less than 8.5% vol."
With reference to these Community Guidelines it is then possible to apply a further classification:
Depending on the residual sugar in spumante wines, the following denominations are used:
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Essentially almost all the vines can be used to produce sparkling wines, but only some are able to give life to products of particular value. Moreover, it is very important that the starting grapes enjoy good health and acidity in order to make the final wine rich and fragrant; the most suitable climates to obtain these characteristics are the temperate-cold ones.
The starting point to obtain a spumante wine is the base wine, which is the result of a white vinification of the grapes: a soft squeezing to avoid an excessive transfer of colour and to preserve its quality. The must obtained by pressing is placed in containers, where all the impurities in suspension are removed. Subsequently, the must undergoes a fermentation of not less than 20 ºC.
The operations of pouring, clarification and filtration, common to the production of all the other still wines, then follow: in this way the finished dry wine is obtained. If necessary, appropriate cuts of wines from the past years or from different grapes are prepared in order to create the perfect cuvée that will be the basis of spumante wine. The preparation of cuvée is essentially done to try to produce a spumante wine with the desired characteristics, but also to obtain a certain homogeneity between the various sparkling wines marketed over the years. To the cuvée are then added selected yeasts and sugars and the wine thus obtained is subjected to a second refermentation. Depending on the method used for the fermentation, two main sparkling methods can be distinguished: the classic method and the Charmat method (Martinotti)
The Classic Method
This method, also known as the Champenois method, has its origins in an intuition of the famous Benedictine monk Pierre Pérignon (nowadays a Champagne brand has his name) who in 1668 developed the method of refermentation in bottle for wines produced in the abbey in which he worked. The classic method is the method used for the sparkling of Champagne, Trentodoc and Franciacorta.
Martinotti Method (o Charmat)
The Charmat method is a more recent method than the classic method, invented by the Piedmontese Federico Martinotti in 1895. However, it was spread by Eugène Charmat, who built and patented the equipment to implement the method. Hence the name Charmat or Martinotti-Charmat. This method is certainly faster and less expensive than the previous one, it is particularly suitable for enhancing primary and fruity aromas.
Each of the two sparkling wine making methods is more suitable for one type of grape or for another type of grape. In fact, the Classic Method is suitable for vines such as Pinot and Chardonnay, long-lived vines, capable of expressing their potential with the passing of time. This method enhances aromas such as yeast, bread, bread crust, mineral scents as well as flowers and dried and fresh fruits. The wine usually has a straw yellow colour more or less golden and with a fine grained perlage.
Aromatic vines (Malvasie, Moscati, Brachetto, Traminer Aromatico) and aromatic seeds (Glera, Aleatico Nero, Verdicchio, Ortugo) prefer the Charmat method. These vines give life to wines that have softer colours, straw yellow with evident greenish reflections, fresher aromas, less structured as hints of fruit and freshly picked flowers. The perlage is less fine than that obtained with the Classic Method.
Prosecco is part of this last category, in fact the Glera grape is better suited to being sparkling through the Charmat method. The vine has a moderate accumulation of sugar as well as a good acidity and finally a good amount of aromatic substances. The result is a wine with little alcohol and a pleasing aroma.
We have seen so far what the history of Vino Prosecco is, its territory and the procedural guidelines that regulate it.
Let’s now deal with the method of vinification of this wine: we will start with a general overview about the world of sparkling wines and then we will distinguish the two methods of sparkling process.
SPUMANTE
According to the procedural guidelines CE 479/08 [1], the technical definition of spumante is ‘The product obtained from the first or second alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes, grape must and wine, which is characterised, when the container is uncorked, by the development of carbon dioxide deriving exclusively from fermentation and which is stored at 20 C° in closed containers. It has an overpressure of not less than 3 bar due to carbon dioxide and for which the total alcoholic strength of the batches (cuvée) intended for its processing is not less than 8.5% vol."
With reference to these Community Guidelines it is then possible to apply a further classification:
- Quality Spumante wine: it has the same characteristics as spumante wine, but, although stored at a temperature of 20 ºC in closed containers, must have an overpressure of not less than 3.5 bar. Their quality is considerably higher than that of generic spumante wines. In addition, the production process must be at least 6 months from the date of fermentation, which cannot be less than 90 days.
- Quality Spumante wine (aromatic type): obtained only from grape musts or grape musts partially fermented, which derive from specific types of wine grapes (Moscato, Malvasie, Aleatico, Glera, ...)
- Gasified Spumante wine: obtained from wine without protected designation of origin or geographical indication to which carbon dioxide has been added, in whole or in part.
Depending on the residual sugar in spumante wines, the following denominations are used:
| Residual sugar | |
| Brut nature, pas dosé, dosage zéro | < 3g/l (sugar hasn’t been added after fermentation) |
| Extra brut | tra 0 e 6 g/l |
| Brut | < 12g/l |
| Extra-dry | tra 12 e 17 g/l |
| Dry | tra i 17 e i 32 g/l |
| Demi-sec | tra i 32 e i 50 g/l |
| Dolce | > 50 g/l |
PRODUCTION PROCESS
Essentially almost all the vines can be used to produce sparkling wines, but only some are able to give life to products of particular value. Moreover, it is very important that the starting grapes enjoy good health and acidity in order to make the final wine rich and fragrant; the most suitable climates to obtain these characteristics are the temperate-cold ones.
The starting point to obtain a spumante wine is the base wine, which is the result of a white vinification of the grapes: a soft squeezing to avoid an excessive transfer of colour and to preserve its quality. The must obtained by pressing is placed in containers, where all the impurities in suspension are removed. Subsequently, the must undergoes a fermentation of not less than 20 ºC.
The operations of pouring, clarification and filtration, common to the production of all the other still wines, then follow: in this way the finished dry wine is obtained. If necessary, appropriate cuts of wines from the past years or from different grapes are prepared in order to create the perfect cuvée that will be the basis of spumante wine. The preparation of cuvée is essentially done to try to produce a spumante wine with the desired characteristics, but also to obtain a certain homogeneity between the various sparkling wines marketed over the years. To the cuvée are then added selected yeasts and sugars and the wine thus obtained is subjected to a second refermentation. Depending on the method used for the fermentation, two main sparkling methods can be distinguished: the classic method and the Charmat method (Martinotti)
The Classic Method
| Cuvee After the first fermentation in autoclaves, a new base is created and different varieties of wines are assembled and they originate the cuvee. It is a mixture that will be subjected to a further fermentation |
Bottling The cuvee is bottled and yeasts and sugar (Liqueor de Tirage) are added in order to start the second fermentation |
Ageing The bottled are placed in a horizontal position for a longer or shorter period, usually 6 months or more |
Remuage When the Spumante wine reaches the right maturation, the bottles are rotated and tilted until they are turned upside down. In this way all the residuals settle on the bottle neck |
Disgorgement The residuals must be removed, so most of the time the bottle necks are frozen and then they are opened in order to let the residuals come out |
Dosage Liqueur d’Expetion is added to the bottles. It is a syrup containing sugar and a mixture of wine in order to compensate for the losses |
This method, also known as the Champenois method, has its origins in an intuition of the famous Benedictine monk Pierre Pérignon (nowadays a Champagne brand has his name) who in 1668 developed the method of refermentation in bottle for wines produced in the abbey in which he worked. The classic method is the method used for the sparkling of Champagne, Trentodoc and Franciacorta.
Martinotti Method (o Charmat)
| Cuvee After the first fermentation in autoclaves, a new base is created and different varieties of wines are assembled and they originate the cuvee. It is a mixture that will be subjected to a further fermentation |
Autoclave Yeasts and sugar are added to the cuvee and the wine is put in autoclaves where the second fermentation starts. The companies decide how much time the wine stays in the autoclaves |
Pouring and filtering After the fermentation the wine is poured and filtered under isobaric conditions in order not to lose the carbon dioxide |
Dosage If necessary, a mixture of wine and sugar or of very concentrated must is added to the wine |
Bottling The wine is bottled under isobaric conditions |
The Charmat method is a more recent method than the classic method, invented by the Piedmontese Federico Martinotti in 1895. However, it was spread by Eugène Charmat, who built and patented the equipment to implement the method. Hence the name Charmat or Martinotti-Charmat. This method is certainly faster and less expensive than the previous one, it is particularly suitable for enhancing primary and fruity aromas.
Each of the two sparkling wine making methods is more suitable for one type of grape or for another type of grape. In fact, the Classic Method is suitable for vines such as Pinot and Chardonnay, long-lived vines, capable of expressing their potential with the passing of time. This method enhances aromas such as yeast, bread, bread crust, mineral scents as well as flowers and dried and fresh fruits. The wine usually has a straw yellow colour more or less golden and with a fine grained perlage.
Aromatic vines (Malvasie, Moscati, Brachetto, Traminer Aromatico) and aromatic seeds (Glera, Aleatico Nero, Verdicchio, Ortugo) prefer the Charmat method. These vines give life to wines that have softer colours, straw yellow with evident greenish reflections, fresher aromas, less structured as hints of fruit and freshly picked flowers. The perlage is less fine than that obtained with the Classic Method.
Prosecco is part of this last category, in fact the Glera grape is better suited to being sparkling through the Charmat method. The vine has a moderate accumulation of sugar as well as a good acidity and finally a good amount of aromatic substances. The result is a wine with little alcohol and a pleasing aroma.
