Major Production Processes
Following are the two most common methods used for sparkling wine/champagne production: Méthode champenoise--Still wine is used as a base wine in the process. A blend of base wine, yeast nutrient and a sugar source is added to the base wine. The mixture is sealed, fermented a second time and aged in the bottle, which captures the carbon dioxide released in the fermenting process producing the bubbles. Bulk or Charmat process--Still wines are fermented in a pressurized tank. Sugar and yeast are added for a second fermentation, but the wine remains in the tank for this stage of the process and is not fermented in individual bottles.Styles
Sparkling wine/champagne ranges in style from very dry (Natural), dry (Brut), and slightly sweet (Extra Dry) to sweet (Sec and Demi-Sec). (Wines with no noticeable sweetness are described as "dry.") Many sparkling wines/champagnes are also identified as "Blanc de Blancs" (wines made from Chardonnay grapes), "Blanc de Noirs" (wines produced from black grapes), or rosé or pink sparkling wine/champagnes (small amount of red wine added to the blend or wine that is allowed brief skin contact with color-laden grapeskins).| 1. Chicago | 947.8 | 6. Detroit | 270.6 |
| 2. Los Angeles-Long Beach | 776.3 | 7. San Diego | 260.1 |
| 3. New York | 648.5 | 8. Riverside-San Bernardino | 258.5 |
| 4. Orange County | 290.4 | 9. Nassau-Suffolk | 245.0 |
| 5. Boston-Lawrence-Lowell-Brockton | 288.9 | 10. Oakland | 239.2 |
Source: 2005 Adams Wine Handbook
| 1. California | 2,669,700 | 6. Michigan | 626,700 |
| 2. Illinois | 1,315,400 | 7. New Jersey | 494,600 |
| 3. New York | 1,205,700 | 8. Massachusetts | 379,200 |
| 4. Florida | 924,700 | 9. Pennsylvania | 365,000 |
| 5. Texas | 717,100 | 10. Ohio | 291,000 |
Source: 2005 Adams Wine Handbook
Consumption of Sparling Wine/Champagne in the U.S.
Source: Wine Institute using data from Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates. History revised. U.S.-produced sparkling wines hold a two-thirds share of the U.S. market.