The UK’s love affair with Prosecco is well known. Less well known is that Prosecco’s production method is very different to some of the other famous bubbles around the world, including Champagne, Cava, and the world class bubbles being made in the UK. That is until now, as a Norfolk based wine producer, Flint Vineyard, has released a Prosecco-style english fizz, and I can’t wait to give it a try.
Most high end bubbles are made by the traditional method. A still base wine is put in a bottle, which is then closed up with a bit of yeast and a bit of sugar. The yeast ferments the sugar, releasing alcohol and carbon dioxide (hence the bubbles), and then slowly dies, breaks up, and becomes part of the wine itself. That’s what gives wines like Champagne that distinctive bready, toasty, brioche taste. It’s not just wine taster being ponces, I swear!
Prosecco uses the Charmat method, also called the tank method. It’s called the tank method because rather than doing it in an individual bottle, you do the yeast+sugar thingy in a massive bloody tank. You then move the wine off the yeast before it breaks up into the wine. You’re left with fruity, fresh bubbles which the UK public clearly love.
Not only will this be a new style of English bubbles, but in theory it should be cheaper. One of the biggest drawbacks of English fizz up to now is that they’re at the expensive end. But the land is expensive, the labour is expensive, and the production method (traditional) is expensive. Ok, land and labour isn’t ever going to be cheap, but cheaper production method…you know, should help.
Overall I’m really looking forward to seeing what the team at Flint produce. I’ve never met them myself, but hope to in the near future. Especially if they’ve got a bottle of this open 🙂
Cheers
The charmat method rosé is currently only available at cellar door and local stockists and restaurants. But a cheeky email can’t hurt, contact them by clicking here
