Sparkling wine. Champagne. What’s the dif? For real connoisseurs a lot, but for the rest of us, not so much.
First off, true champagne only comes from its namesake region in France. Everything else is a sparkling wine. Beyond the differences imparted by climate and soil, the main things that set one bottle of bubbly apart from the next is the production method and the mix of grapes.
Adding bubbles to wine
Traditional sparkling wines are produced using chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes. But many other grapes can be used, including reds. Each brand distinguishes itself by the particular grape or blend used in production.
Most sparkling wines are blended using grapes from different years. However, when a winery gets a particularly good year, it will issue a vintage version with a date.
Another difference between sparkling wines is the manufacturing process used to pack the puppy with enough carbon dioxide to create the distinctive bubbles. The best known is called méthode champenoise and was invented by a 17th century monk named Dom Pérignon. (You may have heard of him.)
Most wine connoisseurs consider méthode champenoise to be the gold standard for sparkling wine production. Look for this term on sparkling wines produced outside of the Champagne region. Other manufacturing methods include charmat (or bulk), transfer and injected carbonation.
Label lingo
While at your favorite wine shop, you’ll likely notice terms such as prosecco, asti, crémant and cava. All tell you you’re staring down some sparkley goodness. Proseccos, which continue to grow in popularity, are Italian sparkling wines made from the grape of the same name, while cavas are the Spanish version of bubbly.
Asti (along with spumante) is another Italian term for sparkling wine. You also may encounter cap classique (South African), sovetskoye shampanskoye (Russian) and sket (German).
Things get even trickier when it comes to the categories of champagnes. Many sparkling wines are labeled brut, which indicates that the wine is dry. You may encounter other terms on the label that describe whether the wine is dry, sweet or somewhere in between. From super-dry to ultra-sweet, the terms go: extra brut, brut, extra sec (or extra dry), sec (or dry) and demi-sec, which is the biggest sweetie of the bunch. (Yes, a sparkling wine labeled sec or dry is going to be on the sweet side. This only becomes more confusing when you’ve downed a few flutes.)
Speaking of flutes (and breasts)
The best way to keep those bubbles in your champagne is to drink it from a flute. (This is the type of wine glass some of us simply refer to by saying “give me the tall, skinny one.”) But because fashion is anything but practical, those wide champagne glasses known as coupes have swung back into style.
While wine snobs may frown, feel free to serve your sparkling wine in a coupe if you prefer the look. (They also do double duty as stylish dessert dishes.) The best part about these glasses may be the legends surrounding their design origins.
While historical evidence is scanty, rumors say coupes were molded on the breast of (pick your favorite) Helen of Troy, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette or Madame Pompadour. The facts behind this claim may be shaky, but it sure makes for interesting cocktail party conversation.
Get ready to pour
Remember to serve your sparkling wine with a frosty edge (roughly 40˚ to 45˚ or chilled on ice for 30 minutes), which helps to retain its bubbles. Sparkling wines are traditionally served as an aperitif (that means before dinner), but many people enjoy them with foods. Sweeter wines work well with desserts and spicy dishes, while dry wines pair well with salty foods.
Cheers!