Style Guide
Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Reviewed by Morgan Dannels, Head Sommelier · Last updated May 14, 2026
Sip Tip
The bubbles in a glass of Champagne don't rise randomly — they form chains that originate from tiny imperfections or cellulose fibers on the glass surface, acting as nucleation points that continuously release carbon dioxide.
Sparkling wine starts as still wine, then gains its fizz when CO₂ produced during a secondary fermentation becomes trapped inside a sealed container. When that container is a bottle and the wine rests on its yeast sediment for months or years, you develop complex savoury, baked aromas that define Champagne and other bottle-fermented sparklers. When the second fermentation happens in a pressurised tank and the wine moves quickly through filtration to the bottle, you get the fresh, fruit-forward style of Prosecco or the sweet, grapey character of Asti.
Champagne stands above all other sparkling wines in reputation. It comes from a cool northern French region where Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier ripen slowly. Even the warmest vintages produce grapes with restrained sugar and bright, persistent acidity, which is exactly what you need for sparkling base wines. The majority of Champagne carries no vintage date; producers blend across years to keep their signature flavour profile steady. Vintage Champagnes are richer, more concentrated, and declared only in exceptional years.
How to Identify It
Look for high acidity and persistent bubbles. Bottle-fermented sparklers such as Champagne, Cava, and Crémant develop savoury, yeast-influenced aromas the longer they rest on their sediment. Tank-fermented styles like Prosecco emphasise primary fruit and floral aromas, with minimal yeast influence. Champagne labels carry sweetness terms that trip up most buyers: Brut accounts for most Champagne sales and sits on the dry end of the scale; confusingly, Extra Dry contains more residual sugar than Brut. Blanc de Blancs is made exclusively from Chardonnay or other white varieties; Blanc de Noirs comes solely from Pinot Noir or Meunier.
Best Examples
Champagne sits at the top of the sparkling hierarchy. Each major house has its own character: some lean toward richness and power, others toward elegance and finesse. Prestige cuvées like Dom Pérignon, Cristal, and La Grande Dame represent flagship bottlings that can taste tight and reserved when young, rewarding patience with added complexity.
- •**Crémant** (France): French bottle-fermented sparklers from regions outside Champagne, required to spend at least nine months resting on yeast sediment. The ones to know are Crémant d'Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, and Crémant de Loire: all traditional-method, and priced well below Champagne.
- •**Cava** (Spain): Spanish sparkler produced by bottle fermentation with a nine-month lees requirement, centred on Catalonia and built on indigenous grapes including Macabeo, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. A few producers make premium versions with extended ageing.
- •**Prosecco** (Italy): An Italian sparkler fermented in pressurised tanks from the Glera grape, showing crisp orchard fruit and light melon notes. The Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG sits a step above the broader Prosecco DOC in quality, with single-site designations like Cartizze and Rive marking the finest parcels.
Food Pairings
Few wines pair as broadly as Champagne. Bright acid and lively bubbles slice through rich, fatty dishes and refresh the palate between bites, making it equally at home alongside raw shellfish or crispy fried foods. Rosé Champagne works particularly well with ham, salmon, and pink lamb. The sweetness and gentle alcohol of Asti and Moscato d'Asti make them natural partners for fruit-based desserts and celebratory cakes.
- •Brut Champagne alongside smoked salmon, eggs, crispy starters, or spice-driven Chinese and Indian dishes
- •Rosé Champagne with ham, salmon, or roast turkey
- •Demi-Sec Champagne or Asti with berry tarts, light sponge, or fresh fruit
Sommelier's Take
The name Extra Dry misleads a lot of people into expecting the driest option; in reality, Brut contains less sugar, and Brut Nature carries virtually none. Sparkling wine deserves a place at the dinner table, not just the toast.