To better understand this scientific outcome, perhaps it is good to brush up on why there are bubbles in sparkling wines in the first place. This fizz is more technically known as effervescence and it complements the sensory experience of sparkling wine in the same way a soda stream changes the texture of tap water.
Take champagne, which is typically made from a blend of three grape varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. The wine is fermented in the bottle with yeast and sugar, creating carbon dioxide gas as a byproduct. The pressure inside the bottle then builds up, causing the gas to dissolve into the liquid, forming buoyant bubbles. The type and amount of bubbles differ in each bottle of sparkling wine and are a function of how long and in what way it was fermented. For example, the bubbles in prosecco are lighter and bouncier than those in champagne because the fermentation process for prosecco is shorter and is done in tanks rather than the individual bottles of champagne.
We may also notice how bubbles rise in sparkling wine because of the glassware used to serve it. The traditional champagne flute is tall and narrow, with a tapered opening. This shape means the surface area at the top of the flute is reduced, which helps the bubbles last longer.
