Wine Tasting | Sparkling wines - Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison, Delafield

The creation of Sparkling Wine goes hand in hand with the folklore of Champagne. Legend would have us believe that sparkling Champagne was invented by Dom Perignon, a monk who became a cellar master at Hautvillers, France in 1668. But six years earlier, English coopers were adding sugar to still wines to make them sparkle. Consequently, in the mid-1660s, there was a strong demand in London for “brisk and sparkling wines.” Simultaneously, the French refugee Marquis de Saint Evermont made the still wines of Champagne popular at the English court. Fashion dictated that the two should come together, and it was only in London that the necessities for the sale of sparkling wine—solid glass bottles and cork stoppers—were available.

Almost any wine can be made to sparkle. (During the Nineteenth century, you could find such products as Clos de Vougeot Mousseux and sparkling Sauternes.) Today there are three basic ways of producing bubbles in a wine: a secondary fermentation in a bottle; a second fermentation in a tank; and carbonation.

At this tasting, we’ll cover a panoply of appellations and styles of sparkling wine. From the Charmat method which produces Prosecco, to the Ancestral method which produces Pétillant Naturel, to the Traditional method which produces Cava and the sparkling wines of the Loire Valley, Alsace, and Champagne. And we’ll discover a variety of sparkling wines of various dosages—from Brut Nature, Brut, and beyond.

One thing is for sure – this tasting will turn you into a lover of all wines that sparkle!

Wines to be tasted:

2016 Contratto Millesimato Pas Dose $49.99
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley $29.99
Champagne Louis Roederer Collection $69.99
The Chook Sparkling Shiraz $24.99
Loosen Sparkling Riesling $19.99
Kron Rose Cuvee Brut $24.99
Alma 4 Almacita Brut $19.99
Clover Hill Cuvee $34.99
Drappier Champagne Carte d'Or $49.99

This is an example list from the prior year's tasting.

All prices listed shown are regular retail. Significant discounts offered on all wines at the tasting.

Due to the their highly allocated nature, some wines may change without notice.