There are so many different alcoholic beverages to choose from. It is helpful to know what exactly the differences are between them. To help understand the differences between sparkling wine, prosecco, and champagne, Pike’s Wine and Liquor, a liquor store in Elmont, has detailed all of the most important things to know and what makes champagne and processo unique.
Understanding Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine is a bubbly beverage. It is not like regular wine. However, it is very similar. Sparkling wine is a wine that has carbon dioxide added to it. While this may sound dangerous, it is completely safe. The carbon dioxide in sparkling wine simply makes the beverage bubbly and fizzy. While sparkling wine can be considered a type of champagne, it is not always allowed to claim that title. Read below to see why.
What Is Champagne?
To better understand the differences between these three beverages, it is important to note where they come from. Champagne actually comes from a place called Champagne, France. That is where it gets its name. Because of the name, it must come from Champagne, France to be considered champagne.
If the wine does not come from Champagne, France, then it is simply considered sparkling wine. This is of course as long as it has a bubbles and fizz.
Champagne Can Only Be Made from Certain Grapes
While all champagne must come from Champagne, France, this is not the only factor that makes it different than sparkling wine. In fact, there are certain grapes that champagne must be made out of to be considered champagne. Do not worry, it is not a very long list to remember.
The Three Grapes That Make Up Champagne:
- Chardonnay
- Pinot Noir
- Pinot Meunier
Of course, not all three grapes must be used at once. Only one kind of grape is in each bottle of wine. Only the wine with the above ingredients and birthplace can be considered champagne.
What About Prosecco?
Now that we understand the differences between sparkling wine and champagne, we can now move onto what prosecco is. Prosecco is a white wine. It can be considered a sparkling wine due to the fact that it is a white wine with carbonation. But, just like champagne, not all sparkling wine is prosecco.
Where Does Prosecco Come From?
Prosecco is exclusively from Veneto, located in northeastern Italy. Not only does that make it what it is, prosecco also uses only a certain type of grape, just like champagne. However, the grape used in processo is very different from those used in champagne. The grape used to make prosecco is from its name, the prosecco grape. This grape is also commonly called the glera grape.
Places Make the Difference
While grapes do determine the difference between champagne and prosecco, the main differences can come from where they originate. While champagne comes from a place in France, Prosecco comes from Italy. This makes them what they are, even more than the grapes used. You can see that this marks a major difference between the two.
The tastes of champagne and prosecco are also very different from one another. While a champagne taste has a lot of different notes in it, prosecco has a simpler taste. They are definitely very different when you taste them.
You can read a little bit about Italy and how they get their grapes at Made-in-Italy.com. Also, you can read more information about Champagne, France and how they get their grapes for making wine at About-France.com.
Sparkling Wine Prices
Prices do vary between the different kinds. Champagne can cost a lot more than prosecco due to the process of how it is made. While champagne is made bubbly and fizzy after it has been through the fermentation process, prosecco is done all at once. Champagne bubbles are added to individual bottles, but the prosecco is made bubbly while it is still in a large batch inside of the steel tanks. This contributes to the price difference, as champagne requires a longer process than the making of the prosecco.
While champagne and prosecco are both types of sparkling wine, they both have their significant differences. If interested, you can check out a lot of valuable information on the three in this YouTube video. Remember, sparkling wine is just the name for bubbly or carbonated wine.