Effervescence
The effervescence evaluation applies only to bubbly wines, which for this purpose are divided in two main categories: a frizzante wine - sometimes also called vivace or brioso - has light to moderate effervescence (from 1.5 to 2 grams per liter of carbon dioxide), while a spumante (from the Italian spuma or foam) is a fully sparkling wine with 3.5 to 6 atmospheres of pressure.
The main sign of finesse in sparkling wines is the size and intensity of the carbon-dioxide bubbles that rise from the base of the glass. As a rule, a wine made by the classical method of fermentation in bottle will have small, persistent bubbles that, when rising, form what is known as the bead or perlage. Wines made by tank method usually have larger bubbles.
Bubbles in frizzante wines are evident on pouring but often disappear or collect along the sides of the glass. In a good wine with carbon dioxide formed by natural fermentation, they create a pleasant, prickly sensation in the mouth.
Bubbles in spumante have more persistence. In the best quality wines made by the classical bottle fermentation method, bubbles are fine and continue to rise in a steady flow. Good tank-fermented spumante should also have relatively small, persistent bubbles. If the bubbles vanish or if they are large, disjointed or seem to hang in suspension, there is probably something wrong with the wine or the glass it is served in.
