The confusion between Champagne and Sparkling wine has existed for a very long time. Most people put the two types of wine in the same category, which is not right. Hang around and we will tell you why all sparkling wine is not Champagne.
Champagne is a region in France.
There’s a lot to understand when it comes to Champagne. What exactly is the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine? How do you choose the right Champagne for your occasion? And most importantly: why is it so expensive? Let’s tackle these questions one at a time.
To begin, let’s understand that all Champagnes are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are Champagnes. Most people don’t know this because “Champagne” has been used interchangeably with “sparkling wine” for years. But in truth, there are three key differences between “Champagne” and “Sparkling Wine.”
- The first difference is that Champagne can only come from a specific region of France called…well, Champagne. Sparkling wine can be made anywhere in the world!
- The second difference is that only certain grapes are permitted to be grown in the region of Champagne: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Meunier grapes. Any other grapes cannot be used if they want to call their wine “Champagne.”
- The final—and most important—difference is that all sparkling wines need bubbles, but not all bubbly beverages have bubbles (looking at you root beer!).
Sparkling wine can be made anywhere.
Well, if you want the long story, read on.
In the simplest terms possible: Champagne is a sparkling wine that comes from a specific region in France (the Champagne region). It’s also a protected term, meaning that only wine made in this region can be called Champagne. If a bottle says “Champagne” on it, then it was made there. And if it was made anywhere else in the world – no matter how similar or different the grapes or method of production – then it’s not Champagne.
But any other sparkling wine could have been made in one of many places around the world. It could have been made in France but outside of the Champagne region and still be labeled as sparkling wine; French sparkling wine producers don’t even want to use the word Champagne unless they’re allowed to by law! In fact, they just started calling their wines Crémant instead.
It could also be an Italian red like Brachetto d’Acqui or an American white like prosecco. Or maybe it’s an Australian pink bubbly like rosé spumante or a New Zealand brown bubbly like…I don’t know what color Kiwi sparklers are!
Champagne is made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Meunier grapes.
While you may know that Champagne is a region of France, and that sparkling wine comes from the US, Spain, Italy, and elsewhere, did you know that only three types of grapes are allowed for making wine in the Champagne region?
- Chardonnay: The highest quality wines come from Chardonnay grapes. It’s often described as having citrus flavors with a touch of pear.
- Pinot Noir: Pinot noir grapes are grown in many regions across the world but they originated in Burgundy, France. Flavors can include tart cherry and raspberry notes with hints of spice or earthiness.
- Meunier: Champagne made from Meunier (pronounced ‘muh-nyay’) tends to be heavier than those made with chardonnay or pinot noir grapes. They have fruity flavors such as plum or strawberry.
Sparkling wines produced outside France can be made using any type of grape. They also don’t follow specific rules about how to make them as is required for Champagne production under appellation d’origine controlee (AOC), the French system of wine appellations created to keep producers honest about what they put into their bottles so buyers will know exactly what they’re getting when they purchase champagne or other French wines.”
All sparkling wines need bubbles.
Even though fine wines have thousands, sometimes millions of years to develop their complex flavors, they’re quite literally distilled from fermented grape juice. The fusion of these two elements—grapes and alcohol—provides a fundamental thread between all that is sweet and delicious in life. This bold idea carries through to our choice as well as your decision when opening a bottle: whether you drink it alone or with friends!
Champagne can only come from Champagne!
You might have noticed that champagne is expensive, and sparkling wines are not. Your eyes are betraying you. What you’re actually seeing is the price difference between something made in a specific region of France and everything else that’s not made there. The grapes used to make champagne can only be grown in Champagne (specifically, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Meunier), and this makes the wine from there rarer than other sparkling wines from other places. This rarity gives it value; because so little of it is made every year, demand for it is high, which means its price goes up.
