Collection: Sparkling wine

Sparkling wine ranges from dry wines with distinct acidity to sweet, aromatic bottles. Here you will find wine from Italy and France with different grapes, methods and degrees of sweetness. The selection includes Champagne, Franciacorta and other Italian wines made by bottle fermentation as well as lightly sparkling Moscato d'Asti. Start with the occasion and the food, and use the wine's description to choose how fresh, full-bodied or sweet it should be.

In the traditional method, the bubbles form during a second fermentation in the bottle. The wine then matures together with the lees, which can lend bready and nutty aromas. The method is used for Champagne and is often called Metodo Classico on Italian bottles. The method tells you how the wine is made, but does not determine its taste on its own. Grapes, origin, ageing and sweetness are also worth comparing.

The Italian selection includes Franciacorta DOCG from Lombardy and wines from Piemonte, Valle d'Aosta and Marche. Franciacorta styles include rosé, Satèn and Riserva. Satèn has lower bottle pressure and a softer mousse, while Riserva requires longer time on the lees. Use these terms as a guide to find the style that suits your taste.

Moscato d'Asti is a different type of wine. It is sweet and lightly sparkling, and the fermentation of the grape must is stopped while there is still natural sugar left. This gives an aromatic wine with lower alcohol and less pressure than classic sparkling wine. It can be a choice for fruit-based desserts, while a dry Brut or Extra Brut often pairs better with salty snacks, fish or shellfish.

Check the sweetness category when choosing sparkling wine for a meal. Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut, even though the name may sound like the opposite. For a creamy dish you can choose a wine with more body, and for dessert the sweetness should match the dish. Serve the wines chilled, and compare the bottles' own information about grapes and taste before you decide.