Sparkling Wines
7 stylesCava, Prosecco, Franciacorta and two from Brazil, white and rosé: from the pale straw of a young sparkling wine to the gold of a long-aged Riserva.
The color of a sparkling wine comes from its base wine and its time in bottle: long ageing tends to deepen it towards gold, and the Franciacorta rules let a Riserva reach «giallo dorato». Champagne, for example, must age at least 15 months from tirage, and 36 for a vintage. Color phrases come from each appellation's rules; the exact tones are approximations.
Cava
Spain · Cava
Its rules describe it as yellow «del amarillo pálido al amarillo paja», sometimes with a greenish tint; rosados come in «diferentes tonalidades del rosa».
At least 9 months from tirage to disgorging; Reserva 18, Gran Reserva 30, Paraje Calificado 36. Rosado bases need at least 25 % red grapes.
Cava · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: pale, green-tinged.
Material: Cava in a glass, rim
RGB(241, 240, 196)
Cava · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Cava in a glass, hue
RGB(230, 224, 154)
Cava · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: straw yellow.
Material: Cava in a glass, core
RGB(207, 198, 118)
Cava · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Cava in a glass, highlight
RGB(250, 248, 226)
Prosecco
Italy · Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia
Made mainly from Glera, with its second fermentation only in pressure tanks. Its rules describe the spumante as «giallo paglierino più o meno intenso».
Tank fermentation keeps it fresh and young-looking.
Prosecco · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: pale straw.
Material: Prosecco in a glass, rim
RGB(242, 240, 200)
Prosecco · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Prosecco in a glass, hue
RGB(232, 225, 154)
Prosecco · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: straw yellow.
Material: Prosecco in a glass, core
RGB(210, 197, 108)
Prosecco · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Prosecco in a glass, highlight
RGB(250, 248, 228)
Prosecco Rosé
Italy · Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia
Glera with 10 to 15 % of Pinot Nero vinified as a red wine. Its rules describe a «rosa tenue più o meno intenso».
It must carry the vintage on the label.
Prosecco Rosé · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: very pale pink.
Material: Prosecco Rosé in a glass, rim
RGB(248, 218, 214)
Prosecco Rosé · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Prosecco Rosé in a glass, hue
RGB(242, 193, 192)
Prosecco Rosé · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: soft pink.
Material: Prosecco Rosé in a glass, core
RGB(227, 163, 166)
Prosecco Rosé · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Prosecco Rosé in a glass, highlight
RGB(252, 236, 234)
Franciacorta Riserva
Italy · Lombardy
Refermented in the bottle and aged at least 60 months on its lees. Its rules range from straw yellow to «giallo dorato con eventuali riflessi ramati».
Long ageing deepens sparkling wine towards gold: shown here at the golden end.
Franciacorta Riserva · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: pale gold.
Material: Franciacorta Riserva in a glass, rim
RGB(242, 222, 150)
Franciacorta Riserva · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Franciacorta Riserva in a glass, hue
RGB(228, 196, 103)
Franciacorta Riserva · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: golden yellow.
Material: Franciacorta Riserva in a glass, core
RGB(201, 162, 67)
Franciacorta Riserva · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Franciacorta Riserva in a glass, highlight
RGB(249, 237, 194)
Franciacorta Rosé
Italy · Lombardy
At least 35 % Pinot Nero, with Chardonnay and up to half Pinot Bianco. Its rules describe a «rosa più o meno intenso».
Aged at least 24 months on its lees.
Franciacorta Rosé · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: pale pink.
Material: Franciacorta Rosé in a glass, rim
RGB(240, 189, 182)
Franciacorta Rosé · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Franciacorta Rosé in a glass, hue
RGB(231, 161, 160)
Franciacorta Rosé · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: pink.
Material: Franciacorta Rosé in a glass, core
RGB(207, 126, 130)
Franciacorta Rosé · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Franciacorta Rosé in a glass, highlight
RGB(248, 220, 216)
Altos de Pinto Bandeira
Brazil · Rio Grande do Sul
Brazil's designation of origin for traditional-method sparkling wine, registered in 2022. Its rules describe a medium color intensity, with «amarelo claro, amarelo esverdeado ou amarelo (em produtos mais envelhecidos)»: pale yellow, greenish yellow, or yellow when older.
Only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling Itálico, the last at most 25 %. Second fermentation in the bottle, with at least 12 months from tirage to disgorging; Reserva needs 24 months in bottle and Gran Reserva 36.
Pinto Bandeira · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: pale, green-tinged.
Material: Altos de Pinto Bandeira in a glass, rim
RGB(241, 241, 198)
Pinto Bandeira · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Altos de Pinto Bandeira in a glass, hue
RGB(231, 227, 158)
Pinto Bandeira · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: pale yellow.
Material: Altos de Pinto Bandeira in a glass, core
RGB(210, 201, 120)
Pinto Bandeira · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Altos de Pinto Bandeira in a glass, highlight
RGB(250, 249, 228)
Farroupilha Moscatel Espumante
Brazil · Rio Grande do Sul (Farroupilha)
A sweet sparkling Muscat from Farroupilha, a Brazilian indication of origin registered in 2015. Its rules ask for «coloração amarelo claro»: pale yellow.
Made from the Muscat grapes its rules allow, with 7 to 9 % alcohol, at least 4 atmospheres of pressure and 60 to 90 g/l of total residual sugar.
Farroupilha · rim
The rim, the thin edge of the wine in a tilted glass, where the tint shows first: very pale yellow.
Material: Farroupilha Moscatel Espumante in a glass, rim
RGB(244, 242, 196)
Farroupilha · hue
The main hue, between rim and core: the color the wine is named by.
Material: Farroupilha Moscatel Espumante in a glass, hue
RGB(236, 230, 160)
Farroupilha · core
The core, the deepest point at the center of the glass: pale yellow.
Material: Farroupilha Moscatel Espumante in a glass, core
RGB(217, 207, 126)
Farroupilha · highlight
The highlight: the lightest tone, where light passes through the wine and catches the glass.
Material: Farroupilha Moscatel Espumante in a glass, highlight
RGB(251, 250, 228)
Designations of origin, traditional terms, grape varieties and regions are named here to describe the color of each wine. This content is independent: no winery or regulatory council has sponsored or reviewed it.