"Michael Pronay" wrote in message
...
"Steve" wrote:

More than 90 percent of all sparklers worldwide are tank
fermented, I would guess.

I am obviously not qualified to provide my own opinion, because
I've only just found this out, but which method produces the
better wine?

Well, judgment is pending. Riddlers of course state that the small
vessel intensifies the contact of the lees with the wine and that
this will result in better quality.

Tank fermenter otoh - especially some sitting in German viticulral
schools - insist on the fact that both methods are absolutely
identical, that finally a tank is nothing else than a very, very
large bottle.

I agree with the Germans to a point on this matter, but if I'm not mistaken
the Charmat process practitioners do not run the tank pressures anywhere
near the 6 atmospheres that is attainable in Methode Traditionnelle bottles.
The higher pressure, plus the longer lees contact, results in a finer mousse
in the finished wine.

Tom S