What is the difference between “Sparkling Wine” and “Champagne"?

mariiaa (35)in #blog • 7 years ago (edited)

A question that we are often asked is, “What is the difference between “Sparkling Wine” and “Champagne”? The easy and short answer is that sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it comes from the region of Champagne (where I live actually), France, located in the north-east of the country, bordering Belgium. Corresponding to the historic province of Champagne, the region is famous for its sparkling white wine, named champagne after the eponymous wine region. .

To clarify, all champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is champagne. Further, champagne can only be made using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier( so noble grape varieties). The grapes are harvested by hand and pressed immediately; the juice from the three grapes are blended together and put in cellars. Then comes the most important part: the second fermentation in the bottle, a process known as the traditional method. This labor-intensive process gives champagne its yeasty character, crisp acidity and biscuit aromas .

Of course the biggest distinction between champagne and other sparkling wines may simply be in name. Only wine produced in the Champagne region can be conferred the prestigious champagne moniker.

Whether sparkling wine or champagne, the truth is that sparkling wine is gaining in popularity as people realize that it is the most versatile wine for pairing (aka the scrubbing bubbles for the palate) and transitions beautifully from breakfast to dessert and light dishes to fried foods, spicy cuisine or rich, sauces. They’re also great as aperitifs and with dishes that have a bit of fruitiness or sweet.

I would like to share with you some photos from one important evening that took place in my school.