Sparkling wine, produced worldwide, is a complex drink that adds fun and tradition to any celebration. Champagne is a sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France, while Prosecco is an Italian grape with a dry taste. Asti is a sweet wine made from the Moscato grape, and Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine that pairs well with traditional Spanish food.
Whether you call it champagne, sparkling or sparkling wine, sparkling wine is a delicious and invigorating treat. The carbonated drink is produced all over the world and can be much more complex than the simple sparkler used for wedding toasts. For your next special occasion, treat yourself to a new kind of bubbly, reaching out to the world for a local variety that just might knock your socks off.
Champagne, the king of sparkling wine, is a proper name given to sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France. Some countries regulate the use of the name, but some continue to allow sparkling wine made in other places to masquerade under the distinct title. Check the bottle carefully; if it doesn’t say it’s made in Champagne, France, it might still be good, but it’s not Champagne. Produced since the Middle Ages, the French drink is almost always made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes and typically has a dry and complex flavour.
Prosecco is the name of an Italian grape and the sparkling wine it creates. It should be served quite cold, prosecco is known for its naturally dry characteristics and slightly bitter aftertaste. As wonderful as it is on its own, prosecco is also the star ingredient in a fantastic summer cocktail, the Bellini. Invented in the 1940s and characterized by a cheerful pink colour, the Bellini is a fruity and sparkling mix of two parts prosecco and one part peach purée.
Italy is famous for another sparkling wine that is often served with dessert. The Asti sparkling wine is made from the super sweet white Moscato grape, also used in Moscat wine. Due to the sugar content in the grape, Asti spumanti has a delicate sweetness and is a fantastic complement to cheese and fruit or heavy desserts. Although sweet wines tend to be high in alcohol content, Asti is relatively low, around 12% by volume.
For a night of paella and gazpacho, complement your Spanish cuisine with the delicious local sparkling wine called cava. The cava was invented during the terrible plague that destroyed much of Europe’s vines in the 19th century, using resistant stocks of white grapes. Available in dry, medium and sweet versions, the drink is traditional in Spanish celebrations such as baptisms. Cava pairs wonderfully with traditional Spanish food and can add a new level of authenticity to Spanish themed dinners.
Sparkling wine is undoubtedly a party drink. Whether toasting the bride and groom or outfitting a cruise ship in style, it adds a layer of fun and tradition to any milestone celebration.
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