| DEEP DIVE |

BY MELISSA DOWLING

Bubbly wines are popping up all over these days , in unique styles and from a number of different regions and brands . As more Americans discover that sparkling wines are not just for special occasions and celebrations , they ’ re finding plenty of new options in a wide range of prices .

Not only are sparklers incredibly food-friendly , sparkling-winebased cocktails are elegant , refreshing and easy to replicate at home .

But with so many choices and terminology , it can be confusing to select a sparkling wine . Why is there such variation in prices ? What do the names mean ? Why aren ’ t they all just called Champagne ?

First off , the only sparkling wines that can be called Champagne must be produced in the Champagne region of France ; that ’ s also why the name is typically capitalized . What ’ s more , Champagne is produced under regulations requiring a secondary fermentation in the bottle to create carbonation . The sweetness of Champagne ( and sparkling wine in general ) is measured from driest to sweetest : Extra Brut , Brut , Extra- Dry , Sec , Demi-Sec and Doux . Grower Champagnes are produced by independent estates who make wine from their own vineyards , vs . those made by the big Champagne houses . They can be identified by RM ( meaning Recoltant Manipulant ) on the label .

Methode Champenoise refers to the technique of making sparkling wine with a second , controlled fermentation in a sealed bottle to develop the bubbles . Outside of France it ’ s referred to as méthode tranditionalle . ( There is a legal loophole that allows for the name California Champagne to be used in some cases .)

It ’ s a more time-consuming and expensive process than other methods , which is part of the reason you can find good values in different sparklers . Here ’ s a look at some of the other sparkling wines styles .

PROSECCO . This popular Italian sparkling wine is produced from the glera grape variety via the Charmat or tank method of making sparkling wine in a large vat rather fermentation than in bottles . As such , prosecco tends to be an economical option among different sparklers .

CAVA . Produced in the Penedès region of Spain with local grapes xarel-lo , parellada and chardonnay , cava is a wallet-friendly , traditional-method alternative to Champagne with a toasty , rich style .

CRÉMANT . Sparkling wines from French producers outside of the Champagne region are called crémants and include Crémant de Bourgogne , Alsace , Loire and Limoux , among others . These are made with the same technique as Champagne but generally use regional grape varietals .

LAMBRUSCO . This sparkling red wine from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy has seen a resurgence in recent years .

ASTI ( once known as Asti Spumante ) and MOSCATO D ’ ASTI . These gently bubbled , or frizzante , wines from the Piedmont region of northern Italy tend to be on the sweeter side ;

Brachetto d ’ Acqui is another red Italian sparkler from the Piedmont . SEKT . Sparkling wines from Germany , Austria and the Czech Republic are called sekt and made with native grape varieties . PÉTILLANT NATUREL . The world ’ s first sparkling wine , pét-nat ’ s production predates even that of Champagne . It ’ s made by the méthode ancestrale , in which wine is bottled and capped before it finishes its primary fermentation . The yeasts continue to feed off the sugars , resulting in a wine with a slight sparkle .

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