Champagne 101 is your complete guide to how sparkling wine is made, where it comes from, how to drink it, how to store it and what kinds you can buy. Pop the cork!
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Everything You Need to Know about Champagne
Champagne used to rule the roost in the land of sparkling wines, but now there are tons of great options we can access: cava, prosecco, asti, just to name a few. It is made in countries all over the world, from various kinds of grapes, through different methods. It’s certainly overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what to look for.
Not only is it the choice of every celebratory toast, this French sparkling wine is a key ingredient in many cocktail recipes, like the French 75 or the aptly named champagne cocktail.
This guide covers all you need to know about how sparkling wine is made, where it comes from, how to drink it, how to store it and what kinds you can buy. Pop the cork and let’s get started!
What is champagne?
To be called champagne, this sparkling wine must be made exclusively in the Champagne region of France, which is to the east of Paris. There are three kinds of grapes that can go into champagne:
- white-skinned chardonnay grapes
- red-skinned pinot noir grapes
- pinot meunier grapes
There are also tons of alternatives to champagne from other countries and with price tags that are often less expensive, such as Prosecco and Cava.
How champagne is made
It is made in a long, multi-step process, which contributes to the hefty price tag.
First, it’s made into a low-alcohol still wine and then it is bottled and capped, where it undergoes a second fermentation with a little added yeast and a bit of sugar for weeks to years. (Again, why it’s pricy.) The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol, and natural carbon dioxide forms as bubbles.
The bottles are stored upright at first, then the bottles are slowly turned and lowered in a process called riddling. When the bottles are upside down, the spent yeast moves into the neck of the bottle.
Next, in a process called engorgement, the cap is popped off and the pressure inside the bottle pushes out the spent yeast. More sugar and a bit of wine are added before the bottle is finally corked and muzzled with a wire cage.
Types of sparkling wine
Beyond champagne, here are some common types of other sparkling wines:
Prosecco: A dry or extra-dry Italian sparkling wine traditionally made with the Glera grape. Its second fermentation takes place in stainless steel barrels. It is the most common substitute for champagne in cocktails. Try it in this Prosecco punch.
Moscato d’Asti: Another Italian sparkling wine, made in the province of Asti in northwest Italy from the Moscato bianco grape. It is a dessert wine, sweet and low in alcohol.
Spumante: Also known as Asti or Asti Spumante, this is an Italian sparkling white wine made from the Moscato Bianco grape. It is a dessert wine, sweet and low in alcohol.
Cava: A Spanish sparkling wine produced in Catalonia. It can be white or rosé and it’s traditionally made from the macabeu, parellada and xarel-lo grapes.
Crémant: A French sparkling wine known for its creamy, not fizzy, texture. It is traditionally bottled with a lower carbon dioxide pressure, so there are fewer bubbles.
What champagne tastes like
Fizzy, fruity, dry! But there’s more to it than that. When you buy champagne, the French words on the bottle can be confusing if you don’t know what they mean. Here’s a breakdown of the champagne terms and what they mean:
- Brut Nature/Brut Zero: No added sugar
- Extra Brut: Very dry
- Brut: Very dry to dry
- Extra-Sec or Extra-Dry: Off-dry to medium dry
- Sec: Medium dry
- Demi-Sec: Sweet
- Doux: Super-sweet
How to drink champagne
Champagne flutes are designed to be tall, narrow vessels to help retain the carbonation as long as possible. The trumpet shape also keeps hands away from the bowl to maintain the cold temperature.
Chill sparkling wine several hours before using. This is key to keeping champagne from going bad.
Always be careful when opening a bottle of champagne. Do it over the sink or outside, away from people and fragile things. Keep glasses nearby to catch any spills when opening.
Non-alcoholic champagne
Some non-alcoholic bubbly is considered “alcohol-removed,” meaning the ethanol (AKA the alcohol) is removed through a process known as dealcoholization. Most common is alcohol-removed wine.
With the rise of the zero-proof movement, imbibing wine without alcohol is getting easier as there are more and more quality non-alcoholic sparkling wine options. St. Regis Non-Alcoholic Brut and Surely Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Rosé are two of the top-rated non-alcoholic sparkling wines on Amazon.
You can also use club soda, lemon-lime soda or ginger ale in a champagne cocktail recipe to turn it into a bubbly mocktail, like this virgin mimosa.
Champagne recipes
Champagne is delicious on its own but it makes a fantastic mixer in cocktails. A dry champagne adds complexity — not sweetness — and enhances the flavors of the drink. It pairs well with most spirits: try it with rum in the Airmail cocktail, tequila in a champagne margarita or whiskey in the Seelbach cocktail.
Sparkling swaps: You may substitute other sparkling wines, like Prosecco or Cava, for champagne in a cocktail, but it’s a good idea to taste any sparkling wine before you mix it to make sure the flavors won’t compete.
Brunch cocktails: Champagne is popular at brunch and daytime celebrations because it is so light. Some popular champagne recipes for brunch are the mimosa and the peach bellini.
Classic cocktails: Vodka or brandy mixed with champagne makes a classic combo, à la this riff of a pink champagne cocktail. Sparkling wine (usually prosecco) is also key in Italian spritz drinks like the Aperol spritz or limoncello spritz.
New year’s eve drinks: Of course, champagne is a must for ringing in the new year. Serve up a champagne cocktail bar, a big batch of lemon champagne punch or one of these sparkling New Year’s Eve cocktails.
Treats: Champagne works well in desserts, too, and it’s very easy to cook with champagne. Try our popular Champagne jello shots, or these boozy champagne cupcakes.
FAQ
National Champagne Day is December 31, which is also New Year’s Eve.
Anne @ Unique Gifter says
Sparkling wine is one of my favourite things in life!
I haven’t heard of some of the regional Italian varieties. I am mostly a cava kind of girl.
Bring on the bubbles!
Alexandria says
Prosecco is by far the most magical drink on this planet. I could live off of it! I recently told Edward that he should start bringing me home prosecco instead of flowers. Here’s to hoping that will catch on! The lavender champagne cocktail looks wonderful. I’ll have to give it a try.