When we talk about a “spumante wine”, we usually refer to a spumescent wine with a strong presence of carbon dioxide.
The spumescent wines can be divided into two categories, following a specific production method::

Charmat or Martinetti Method
Under this category we find the spumescent wines produced in autoclave according to the patented method accomplished by Mr. Charmat, a French Engineer, and Mr. Martinetti from Italy.
This particular method allows spumescence of the wine in hermetically closed tanks, which are equipped with security blowers and with manometers, in order to keep the internal pressure of the tanks under control.
The wine is put into the tanks together with a part of the sugary elements which are not yet decomposed. Various types of yeast (unicellular fungus, which are alcoholic fermentation-agents) are added, in order to start the process of re-fermentation for obtainment of spumescence.
In this way fresh, fruity and also sweet spumescent wines are produced, such as Torrevilla’s well known Novemesi, Pinot spumante, Pinot-chardonnay, Moscato spumante and Raseidorato.

Classic method
Under this category we find the spumescent wines of which the spume is obtained by re-fermentation in the bottle. This is the so-called “noble” method, which finds its origins in the French region of Champagne.

It consists of bottling the “basis” of the wine-base with addition of a sugary syrup together with some yeasts, which re-ferment the sugary parts.
After filling-operations, the bottles are accurately put in piles in the basement of the winery, where temperatures are not subject to sudden variations and where the bottles are protected against direct light and against any possible vibrating agents.
Re-fermentation proceedings last for about 40/50 days, after which the spumescent wine initiates its maturation/refinement phase.
This particular phase must last – by law – for a minimum period of nine months. For the prestigious spumescent wines the minimum period must be of eighteen months.
When maturation is completed the bottles are put on “poupitres”, to make sure that the dregs settle around the bottle-neck. Then pouring-off operations take place, which consist of immersing the bottle-neck into a specific solution at a temperature of minus 20° Celsius. This permits an immediate freezing of that part of the wine that contains the dregs. Subsequent clearing-operations eliminate the dregs in question, after which the bottles are filled again and corked. At this stage the wines are ready for sales-activities.
The various types of wine-base suitable for the production of these types of wines are mainly obtained from Pinot Nero grapes, which are then vinified in white, and from Chardonnay.
With this method Torrevilla produces the following spumescent wines:
La Genisia brut, Classese brut, Classese rosé, Classese demi-sec, Badessa Lucia Classese brut and Badessa Lucia Classese rosé.