Frizzante

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Frizzante is an Italian wine term for semi-sparkling wine (as opposed to Spumante, which is generally used for fully sparkling wines). Frizzante wines generally owe their bubbles to a partial second fermentation in tank, a sort of interrupted Charmat process sparkling wine.

Origins of terms for describing similar wines produced in other countries vary. The Spanish name — vino de aguja literally translates as "needle wine". Similarly in Portgual, the Portuguese word for "needle" — agulha — is used to describe the semi-sparkling quality of locally-produced vinho verde. The French term pétillant (approximately meaning "sparkling") and German term Perlwein also refer to such wines.

[edit] Definition

Semi-Sparkling wines are sparkling wines that contain no more than 2.5 atmospheres of carbon dioxide. The Carbon dioxide may be endogenous through second feremntation or through gas injection in which case the wines must be described as "aerated semi-sparkling wine".

Some countries such as the UK apply an Excise Duty Rate for semi-sparkling wines the same as for still wines and less than for sparkling wines.