Sparkling Wine - More Than Champagne

Sparkling Wine - More Than Champagne

Sparkling wine is wine with bubbles - like soda but not artificially carbonated. Sparkling wine was first perfected in the Champagne region of France in the eighteenth century by Benedictine monk and cellar master Dom Perignon. Upon seeing the bubbles in his glass, the good brother eloquently captured the essence of his discovery with the words, "I'm drinking stars."

In the Untied States the words champagne and sparkling wine are often used synonymously. Legally, winemakers in the US, Canada, and Australia are allowed to use the appellation champagne for their sparkling wines on one condition: The bubbles must be produced naturally during fermentation and not added through artificial carbonation. Otherwise, the wine making method and the choice of grape are up to the producer.

In France, home of the Champagne region, the story is entirely different. Understandably, the French would not be satisfied to use the name of their fine and cherished creation for any old effervescent wine - as Coke is used cola. In France, only sparkling wines made from grapes grown in the Champagne region may bear the name Champagne, and the same is true for all European Union nations. The New World, as usual, makes up its own rules.

When buying domestic sparkling wines, remember that those labeled sparkling wine are of a superior quality than those labeled champagne. Resist the temptation to go for the champagne name at a cheaper price.

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