![\"Champagne\"](\"http:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Champagne-300x199.jpg\")
<\/h2>\nIn America, sparkling wines, and Champagne in particular, have become synonymous with celebration and holiday revelry, but fine sparkling wine can turn any Friday evening, Saturday dinner party, or mid-week meal into a special occasion.\u00a0 So, why wait until New Year\u2019s or some other once-a-year celebration to bring a little sparkle into your life?<\/p>\n
<\/h2>\nAll that sparkles is not Champagne. Champagne comes in a variety of forms, including still (no bubbles) and sparkling. Since most of the world has only been exposed to Champagnes that sparkle, the name \u201cSparkling Wine\u201d has been used interchangeably with Champagne and any other wine that bubbles.<\/p>\n
Real Champagne hails from the Champagne district of France and is made only from proscribed grapes using a painstaking process known as the M\u00e9thode Champenoise<\/em>, or the Champagne Method, a traditional method of production in which the wine undergoes secondary fermentation and ageing in the bottle. This secondary fermentation process is what makes bubbles.<\/p>\n Cava is Spain\u2019s answer to Champagne<\/a>.\u00a0 The best examples are made using the same painstaking method as Champagne and are labeled as M\u00e9thode Traditionnelle<\/em>, or Traditional Method.\u00a0 Good Cava, like\u00a0Mont-Mar\u00e7al Brut Reserva Cava 2011<\/a>, is a proven crowd-pleaser, and constitutes one of the best buys in sparkling wine, as it can be purchased for a fraction of the cost of Champagne. This is one of the reasons why Cava is currently the #1 selling Champagne method sparkling wine in the world!<\/p>\n Prosecco, the sparkling wine of Venice and Italy\u2019s Veneto, is a light, charming wine that seems to be all the rage around the country.\u00a0 It is not always made in the same painstaking way as Champagne or the best Cava, but it can play to a crowd.\u00a0 Wedding planners and those looking for a mid-week treat take note: for a truly authentic Italian Bellini, mix white peach juice with Nino Franco Prosecco Rustico Brut<\/a>, the original Prosecco introduced in the early 20th<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n Brut is normally the driest of sparkling wines in a producer\u2019s portfolio, though some producers will offer a Brut Zero, Nature or Natural dry sparking that will be drier still.<\/p>\n Extra-dry sparkling wine is not very dry \u2013 it\u2019s actually sweeter than Brut, though it is not a dessert wine.<\/p>\n Sparkling wines labeled Sec, Dry, Demi-Sec, Doux, Dolce or Sweet are quite sweet, as many of the names suggest, and are probably best served with dessert.<\/p>\n Most Champagnes and sparkling wines are products of more than one vintage.\u00a0 This is why they are labeled as Non-Vintage or NV.<\/p>\n The frothy head of sparkling wine is known as the mousse<\/em>.\u00a0 And although tiny bubbles are often considered a sign of quality, the size of the bubble can vary, so relax and enjoy.<\/p>\n Most sparkling wines, and Champagne in particular, make great aperitifs and equally fine accompaniments to many kinds of foods, so don\u2019t be shy about pairing sparkling wines with meals<\/a>.\u00a0 However, most high-quality sparkling wines are best enjoyed early in the evening or with a meal rather than at the end of an evening or with dessert when the palate is fatigued.<\/p>\n Although tall, thin flutes remain in vogue for sparkling wine, almost any fine thin bowl-shaped glass will do.\u00a0 No need to run out and buy a whole new set of glasses.<\/p>\n Many Californian and Oregonian sparkling wines made using the Traditional Method are truly top notch. The best examples, like the Signal Ridge Bubbles Brut Sparkling Wine<\/a>, can compete with high quality French Champagne at a lower price.\u00a0 No wonder so many French Champagne producers have set up shop on this side of the Atlantic!<\/p>\n Champagne along with other sparkling wines are truly under pressure, so always give sparkling wine a good chill (40\u00b0 or less) before opening, and remember to exercise caution while opening, pointing the bottle away from people and delicate objects.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In America, sparkling wines, and Champagne in particular, have become synonymous with celebration and holiday revelry, but fine sparkling wine can turn any Friday evening, Saturday dinner party, or mid-week meal into a special occasion.\u00a0 So, why wait until New Year\u2019s or some other once-a-year celebration to bring a little sparkle into your life? Let\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":""},"categories":[7,9,11],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"mont-marcal-cava-brut-bottle\"](\"http:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/mont-marcal-cava-brut-bottle.jpg\")
What is Cava?<\/h3>\nWhat is Prosecco?<\/h3>\n
What is Brut?<\/h3>\n
What is Extra-Dry Sparkling Wine?<\/h3>\n
What Does Sec or Dry Mean?<\/h3>\n
What Does Non-Vintage or NV Mean?<\/h3>\n
What are Champagne Bubbles Called?<\/h3>\n
Serving Tips<\/h2>\n
When Should You Serve Champagne or Sparkling Wine?<\/h3>\n
What Glassware Should You Use for Champagne or Sparkling Wine?<\/h3>\n
![\"signal-ridge-bubbles-brut-sparkling-wine\"](\"http:\/\/www.winemonthclub.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/signal-ridge-bubbles-brut-sparkling-wine.jpg\")
<\/a>How do American Champagnes Compare to French Champagnes?<\/h3>\nHow Should You Serve Champagne or Sparkling Wine?<\/h3>\n
Treat yourself or give a gift to the Champagne lover in your life with one of The International Wine of the Month Club\u2019s four wine club memberships. Learn how our international wine clubs work here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n