Sparkling Red Wines: A World Waiting To Be Discovered

There are three main styles of sparkling red wine, Australian sparkling Shiraz, Italian Lambrusco and Brachetto d’Acqui.

There are a variety of styles of Lambrusco from dry, Secco, to sweet, Dulce, with flavours such as strawberries or blueberries.

Brachetto d’Acqui also from Italy has rich floral aromas and pairs very well with chocolate.

Sparkling Shiraz from Australia is very easy drinking and great with barbecues.

Other sparkling reds to try are sparkling Malbec from California and Tintos Espumantes from Portugal.

Unlike white Pinot sparkling wines, sparkling red wines are macerated, meaning that the skins and juice of the grapes stay in contact for a longer period, giving the red bubblies their pigmented colour.  Rosés are also macerated, but for shorter periods. Most sparkling red wines are designed to be consumed young, but a few aged examples also exist, mostly from Australia.