How Does Fine Sparkling White Stand Up Against Champagne?
The question comes up often how does fine white wine compare to Champagne. The truth of the matter is Champagne is actually a sparkling wine, but before you get too excited not all sparkling wines are Champagne. Confused? Let’s explain.
Sparkling wine uses a carbonation process similar to that of soda where large amounts of carbon dioxide are dissolved in the wine. Champagne goes through this same process but unless it goes through this specific process in a certain region of France it is only sparkling wine.
Champagne is the best known and most costly of the sparkling wines but many prefer the taste of other exotic varieties of sparkling white wine. Today many California wineries actually feel that their sparkling white wines are superior to Champagne because California gets more sunlight and the richer grapes produce drier wine.
Another factor in determining how superior a sparkling wine is the bubble test, the smaller the bubble the better the wine. This test does have truth to it as smaller bubbles will allow for more bubbles which help release the wines flavor. So before you reach for that expensive bottle of Champagne you may want to reconsider and try many of the fine sparkling white wines available.
