Beside the fact that Champagne is only made in France, there are other strict guidelines to how Champagne is made.
Unlike most wines, champagne goes through a secondary fermentation process which is done in the bottle. That's what causes natural carbon dioxide gas to get caught inside. This trapped co2 is what causes the bubbles.
Sparkling wines do not go through a secondary fermentation process. Sparkling wine is made from regular wine with co2 injections. This is done the same way as when they make coke or any other type of soda.
But does sparkling wine taste the same as champagne? The answer to this is that they may taste close, but the real difference can be told with a taste test. Champagne is bubblier and a bit lighter and sparkling wines will always carry a taste from the region they are from. Most people tend to prefer the real champagne.
The best way to chill champagne is not in the freezer, but rather in the refrigerator for not more than a couple of days. Better yet, 30 minutes before you are ready to drink the champagne, put it in a champagne cooler that is filled with equal parts ice and water and chill.
When you are ready to open the bottle, make sure that it is always pointed away from yourself and anyone else. To be on the safe side, keep your thumb on top of the cork and with your other hand separate the wire from the bottle. Hold the cork and top part of the bottle firmly in your hand while holding the bottom of the bottle with your other hand. Slowly turn the bottom of the bottle. You do not want the cork to pop, but in case it does and champagne comes pouring out of the bottle do not turn the bottle upright, but rather at an angle which will stop the flow of champagne.
So how do you know what to look for when choosing your champagne? Assess the bubbles. How many are there, how big are they and how fine are the beads? A young champagne will have lots of bubbles where as an older champagne will have less bubbles. Vintage champagne is any champagne that has a date on the label. It means all the grapes were picked in that same year. Non vintage champagne is a mix of various years and a mix of different kinds of grapes.
Labels can tell you more than whether the champagne is a vintage or not. You can also tell how dry the champagne is. For example, "Brut" is the driest of champagnes with almost no residual sugars. Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry and Dry are the four different levels of dryness you can get. It can be misleading because by the time you get to "Dry" you are actually drinking champagne which is more on the sweet side.
What type of glass should you use to drink champagne from? It all depends on how many bubbles you want your champagne to have. Narrower glasses or flutes keep the bubbles in the best. If you were to pour champagne from a flute to a martini glass, you would see almost of all the bubbles disappear. But this does not mean your champagne has gone flat. Pour it back into the flute and the bubbles will come back.
Sparkling wines are well known for their tiny bubbles that race to the surface. Sparkling wine is one of the most exotic yet refreshing types of wine, providing memories and happiness once the cork is released into the air. For many years, this exotic wine has proven to be among the most popular types of wine for celebrations and special achievements.
By looking at sparkling wines, you'll find them to be a complete mystery. When tasting the wine, friends and lovers choose to discuss the refreshing, nutty aroma. Even though these type of wines are very popular, it can be hard to describe. Although the taste and aroma can be right there, lingering in the air - it's still something that is nearly impossible to find the words for.
When you first open a bottle of sparkling wine, the carbon dioxide aroma that instantly fills the air is an experience that you have to smell to believe. A true feast for all of your senses, sparkling wine can instantly put you at ease. Drinking these wines is a feast for your taste buds, bringing several different flavors to rest on your tongue at the same time.
Even though the nature of sparkling wines are really unknown, society as a whole as really accepted it. Although many don't realize it, the crisp and delicate taste of this wine isn't what made it what it is today. Similar to the shine and splendor of the finest diamonds, sparkling wines emits a truly elegant aura and romance that makes it easy to distinguish from other types of wine.
Sparkling wines were first discovered in France by Dom Perignon, who was a monk in the Champagne region. He actually stumbled upon this fine wine while performing his duties as a cellar master in the Benedictine Abbey. Dom would hide his discovery for many years, as the public didn't really respond in the way that he had been hoping.
Although Dom Perignon's sparkling wines weren't popular at first, it would grow and become more popular over the years. Once people in France and people around the world caught wind this amazing sparkling wine, they simply had to experience it for themselves. At this point, it didn't take long for Dom Perignon to become a legend and one of the most important wine makers throughout the rich and cherished history of France.
The formula and techniques that Dom used to produce his sparkling wine eventually become known as the traditional way of making Champagne. The process is still used throughout the world today, producing some of the best sparkling wines. Even though sparkling wines are made in various locations, many agree that the best place is the Champagne region of France - which is where sparkling wine first began and was first introduced to the world.
These days, sparkling wines are an essential part of life, for celebrations and events. With most celebrations, sparkling wine is simply a must have. There are many manufacturers of the wine these days, although most prefer to have the original and still the best - Dom Perignon. No matter where the future of wine goes, sparkling wine will never die. It will always be the wine that sparks celebrations, and the wine that makes events come to life. From it's truly unique and breathtaking taste to it's amazing look and splendid aroma - sparkling wines have the appeal and the flavor to keep people celebrating and living life for years and years to come.
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