Glossary

Quality Sparkling Wine

"Quality sparkling wine" is an EU legal category for sparkling wines subject to higher quality requirements than the standard "Vino spumante" (VS). The legal basis for this is EU Regulation 1308/2013, Annex VII, Part II, No. 5. The requirements are a pressure of at least 3.5 bar at 20°C (for small bottles up to 250 ml, 3 bar is sufficient), a total alcohol content of the cuvée of at least 9% vol, and a production process lasting at least six months from the start of the second fermentation. Where production takes place in individual bottles using the Metodo Classico, the prescribed minimum duration of the production process is nine months.

Within the EU classification, there are also two separate categories: aromatic quality sparkling wine (VSQA, No. 6) for wines made from Muscat, Brachetto or similar varieties, and sparkling wine with added carbon dioxide (VSG, No. 7). Most high-quality Italian sparkling wines, from Franciacorta DOCG through to Trento DOC and Alta Langa DOCG, right up to Prosecco DOC, fall into the VSQ category. Everything you need to know about sparkling wines. – SUPERIORE.DE