10 Sensational Sparkling Wines Up to 92 Points

Our latest Tasting Highlights features sparkling wines from around the globe that are readily available and represent great value for the category. Unfortunately, sparkling wines often come with higher price tags, usually reflecting the additional work required to make them. The two primary methods for quality sparkling-wine production are the traditional method (aka the méthode traditionnelle or the Champagne method) and the tank method. In both methods, winemakers start a secondary fermentation by adding yeast and sugar to a base wine; this fermentation results in carbon dioxide and the bubbles we know so well.

For the traditional method, the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, and the wine is then aged on its lees, often for years. The lees are later removed, sometimes by hand, a process that can take months; and a bit of wine (known as dosage and generally mixed with sugar) may be added before corking, followed by further aging. This method produces wines with fine mousses and added complexity from lees contact. Meanwhile, the tank method is faster and simpler: Secondary fermentation takes place in pressurized tanks and the lees aging is kept brief, as leesy notes are typically at odds with the fresh and fruity style winemakers aim for with this method.

This lineup includes Gloria Ferrer's Royal Cuveé Carneros 2016, a dynamic sparkler with apple, brioche and ginger notes. Read on to get our score and full tasting note for this fantastic sparkling wine and nine others.

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