Italian term (frizzare = to sparkle or foam) for a sparkling wine, which corresponds to the French pétillant or the German semi-sparkling wine or secco. However, the name is not origin-protected and is also used by other countries such as Germany or Austria. Compared to a spumante = sparkling wine (3 to 6 bar), a frizzante has a lower overpressure of 1 to 2.5 bar. It is usually produced using the Méthode charmat (tank fermentation, Italian Metodo charmat or Metodo martinotti), or also using the transvasation or impregnation process. However, there are also bottle-fermented frizzante. The processing steps of a quality sparkling wine are described under Champagne.
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The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena