Champagne Brut (Brut) is a dry sparkling wine that contains a small amount of sugar. Its special feature is a pleasant berry sourness. But it is not suppressed by sweetness, so the drink has bright fruity-citrus hues and a long apple aftertaste.
Chip Brut
In dry sparkling wine Brut, several types are distinguished according to the amount of sugar component in it:
classic brut – 0,6-1,5%
Extra gross – 0,3–06%
Brut nature – no more than 0,3%. This champagne is at a special level for gourmets, because it fully reveals the true taste of sparkling wine.
The best grape varieties for dry champagne are Aligote, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot, Riesling and Traminer.
How brut champagne is made
More than three hundred years ago, the monk Piero Perignon invented a method for making white wine from red grapes. Over time, it improved and became the main one in the production of sparkling wine.
Brut is made from the following grape varieties: white Chardonnay, and reds – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In order to give the drink acidity, the berries for it are harvested unripe. To obtain white wine, the juice is pressed so that it does not interact with the pomace and the very skin of the berries, because they have the ability to color the wine and add astringency.
Next, the resulting juice is poured into barrels for fermentation. After a while, different wines are mixed and, to improve the taste, sugar and yeast are added. After this procedure, the product is fermented again. This process is called “champagne wine”.
After that, the bottles are filled with the drink and left in a horizontal position for subsequent fermentation. So the wine needs to ferment for one year or more. During fermentation, yeast breaks down sugar and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide. Since it cannot escape from a closed container, the gas simply dissolves in the wine.
In the process of fermentation, the bottles are placed upside down with a gradual increase in the angle of inclination. This is done for the normal accumulation of yeast sediment, which will subsequently be removed from the container.
How to drink brut champagne
Before serving, the drink should be cooled to a temperature of at least 8 ° C. It is drunk from special long glasses with a narrow neck called a flute, which allows you to feel both the taste and aftertaste of the drink, and also enjoy the play of bubbles. The drink is consumed in small sips.
Sparkling wine is an excellent aperitif before a feast – it awakens the appetite and the desire to start eating. Pairs well with various cheeses and seafood. In addition, Brut is well served in the company of light desserts, fresh fruits, fruit salads and chocolate products.
Relevance: 03.05.2018
Tags: wine and vermouth