🍷 Aerated semi-sparkling wine

Aerated semi-sparkling wine is a separate wine category in EU rules. It has light bubbles, but they are not its own. Carbon dioxide is added from a cylinder, the same way as in soda or mineral water. This is called carbonation.

The pressure in the bottle is low: 1 to 2.5 bar at 20 °C. That is less than in true sparkling wine, which usually has 3 bar or more. The wine must have at least 7% actual alcohol and at least 9% total alcoholic strength.

The only difference from ordinary semi-sparkling wine is where the gas comes from. In semi-sparkling wine the bubbles form during fermentation, while here they are added ready-made. That is why the label must say the gas was added. These wines are cheaper to make. Their bubbles tend to be larger and fade quickly in the glass, and the taste is simpler than in wines with natural bubbles.