Clearing up Champagne Confusion

This is a frequent topic of discussion at my wine tasting events. Champagne has become the default term for sparkling wines, but just like a Casio is not a Rolex, not all sparkling wines are Champagne.

There are two things to remember when determining Champagne: place and production.
Place: In 1891, the Treaty of Madrid stated that only wine produced in the Champagne appellation (geographic region) could bear the name.
Production: Champagne is made using the Traditional Method, also known as the Classic Method, Méthode Traditionelle, or Méthode Champenoise. A still, base wine is created and then bottled. The winemaker then adds sugar and yeast to initiate a second fermentation in the bottle, which traps the CO2 and creates those lovely bubbles. The second fermentation takes around 30 days, followed by aging on lees (yeast sediment). Once this process is complete, each individual bottle needs to have the lees sediment removed, topped off, and capped. Most sparklers made using the traditional method use Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier grapes

If you see the Traditional Method on a sparkling wine label, you’ll know it was made in the same way as Champagne (and probably costs much less).

Sparkling wines made using the traditional method that are not from the Champagne region:
+ Cava (Spain)
+ Crémant (regions in France outside of Champagne)
+ Franciacorta (Italy)
+ Most New World sparkling wines

What is Prosecco then?

Prosecco is made using the Glera grape variety using the tank method. This production method is also known as charmat, cuve close, and bulk method. The main difference is the second fermentation takes place in a pressurized tank rather than a bottle. The tank method is cheaper and faster than the traditional method because it bypasses the sediment removal from individual bottles. Similar to Champagne, Prosecco is a region, not a grape, and only wines from Prosecco region can use the name.