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Sparkling wine, like champagne, comes in many varieties. But of all the existing varieties, true connoisseurs prefer “brut”.
In other words, brut is a sparkling wine with a minimum sugar content, due to which the entire wine bouquet is fully revealed in the drink, without interrupting the taste and aroma of the grapes.
Brief history of the drink
We owe the appearance of brut to the Frenchman Victor Lambert. In 1874 he developed a new and in its way unique fermentation technique. Thanks to which malic acid is transformed into lactic acid, which is a key basis for the production of brut.
For the first time this kind of drink appeared in 1876. A separate name for it did not yet exist, the sparkling drink appeared simply as a variation of the classic one with the maximum reduced sugar content. The unusual novelty was to the taste of both the French and gourmets of other nationalities: the British, Italians, Russians.
Today, “brut” is a globally recognized name that comes in several varieties:
Brut Nature / Zéro Dosage with sugar levels from 0 to 3 g/l
Extra Brut with sugar content from 0 to 6 g/l
Brut with sugar content from 0 to 12 g/l
Brut sparkling wine is especially popular with the fair sex, who watch their figure. Since it is quite low-calorie – only 64 kcal per 100 g of product.
What to look for when choosing a brut
Brut sparkling wine is practically not subject to fake, because due to the low sugar content it is difficult to hide non-natural components that are added by unscrupulous producers or underground enterprises.
But sommeliers recommend paying attention to such details:
The first thing that should catch your eye is the inscription on the label – “brut”.
It is important to choose sparkling wine, as you can find cheap analogues on store shelves – sparkling wine (carbonated wine), which is artificially saturated with carbon dioxide.
Pay attention to the cork, take a bottle only with a cork made of natural materials. This allows the sparkling drink to “breathe”.
All labels must be glued evenly, without glue drips.
Carefully study the composition of the drink, it should contain only natural ingredients and a minimum sugar content.
Naturally, the higher the cost, the more guarantees that you have a quality product. If the budget is limited, then choose a drink in the middle price category.
Buy a sparkling drink in large supermarkets and specialty liquor stores.
Mandatory presence of an excise stamp. The exception is drinks purchased in the Duty Free zone.
Give preference to a drink in bottles of dark glass. Even under improper storage conditions, the likelihood of loss of taste is lower than that of drinks in clear glass bottles.
When shaking, the empty space in the bottle should be filled with a uniform foam.
Use the Vivino app. It is enough to take a photo of the bottle, and immediately you will receive comments and an overall rating based on the rating from people who have already tried this drink. You can download from Google Play and iTunes.
Which brands of Brut are worth paying attention to
If you want to enjoy real brut, but you are on a budget, we recommend that you take a closer look at brands such as:
Maestro Brut (Badagoni, Georgia)
Bazaleti Brut (Bazaleti, Georgia)
Jaume Serra Cava Brut (Garcia Carrion, Spain)
Santero Brut (Santero, Italy)
Jaume Serra Brut Rosado (Garcia Carrion, Spain)
Cava Lacrima Baccus Brut (Lavernoya, Spain)
P.Chenet Brut (JPChenet, France)
Cava Inherited from Lacrima Baccus Brut (Lavernoya, Spain)
Grandial Rose Brut (Les Grands Chais de France, France)
Martini Brut (Bacardi Martini, Italy).
It is better to serve brut as an aperitif, and you can supplement it with meats, not too sweet fruits or fruit juices.
And desserts can kill the true taste of sparkling brut and it is better to refrain from them.
Relevance: 31.12.2017
Tags: wine and vermouth