Champagne and sparkling wine are two different beverages even though they are both wine and contain fine bubbles. They both could be served only during special occasions. Ordinary people can have a hard time distinguishing the difference between those two beverages.

Sparkling wines

Sparkling wines are different kinds of wine produced by using a specific fermentation method which stimulates the forming of bubbles. Sparkling wines are also different from one another depending on the technique used for their preparation and the level of alcohol that they may contain.

One can therefore find on sale different types of sparkling wines such as: Sparkling wine, Quality sparkling wine, Quality sparkling wine of the aromatic type, crémant and quality sparkling wine produced in a specified region (quality sparkling wine psr). Those wines are also classified based on their sugar content. Thus, we have: Brut nature (0 to 3 gr/l), Extra brut (0 to 6 gr/l), Brut (0 to 12 gr/l), Extra-sec (12 to 17 gr/l), Sec (17 to 32 gr/l), demi-sec (32 to 50 gr/l) and Sweet (more than 50 gr/l). This classification is also valid for champagne.

Champagne

Champagne is a special kind of sparkling wine included in the quality sparkling wine category produced in a specified region. It is originally from Champagne which is a region located in the north of France. The difference between sparkling wine and champagne depends on the production method. In addition, champagne is produced by respecting a specific winemaking process called the Champenoise method. Furthermore, only three types of grape variety are used in the making of a bottle of champagne. Those grapes are: The Chardonnay, the Pinot Noir and, the Pinot Meunier.

People might be wondering the way white wines are made from some black variety of grapes. The reason is actually quite simple: the grapes are pressed without their skins.

A rosé champagne in other hand is produced by adding a small amount of red wine to the preparation.

Finally, champagne classification is meant to differentiate the different categories that exist which are: vintages, Blancs de Blancs, Blancs de noirs, Rosés and crémant.