Sparkling Wines

All that glitters is not Champagne

There is good bubbly made in many parts of the world, and although I prefer Champagne, I enjoy many sparkling wines as do most people. Now Champagne is sparkling wine, but only sparkling wine grown in the Champagne region of France and made by the méthode champenoise is Champagne. Even sparkling made from the same grapes and same method tastes different due to the soil and environment, or terroir as the French say.

That said, there are other excellent sparkling wines available, including Spanish Cava with I love, other parts of France, Spumante and Prosecco from Italy, Australian and Californian Sparkling Wines, and I even found one grown in Massachusetts I think kicks butt! Here are some articles on other sparkling wines. Experiment and let your palate be your guide. It's what you enjoy that matters.

Argyle Brut - Argyle Winery, in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, known for its Pinot Noirs, makes several lovely sparkling wines by the traditional Méthode Champenoise.

Blanquette de Limoux - A sparkling wine from the South of France that predates Champagne by about 100 years, and at least one, Saint-Hilaire, is widely available, inexpensive and delicious.

Cava Wine - Delicious and well priced Spanish Sparkling wines.

Crémant de Bourgogne - Sparkling wine from Burgundy, increasing in popularity, and often an alternative to more expensive Champagne.

Crémant de Loire - Sparkling wine from the Loire Valley made by traditional Champagne methods.

English Champagne? English Sparkling Wine I Are you serious? Well, it does have a terroir strikingly similar to the Champagne Region.

Montlouis Sparkling Wine - An up and coming wine area across the river from better known Vouvray. 100% Chinon Blanc and lovely.

Naveran Cavas -6 Cavas, 250,000 bottles a year, as well as some non sparkling wines.

Roederer - Californian sparking wines from the famed Louis Roederer in France who brings us Cristal and more.

Scarffenberger Brut - Nice and elegant sparklers that are great values and very tasty.

Schramsberg - Making elegant California sparkling wines since 1965.

Westport Rivers Brut - A surprisingly nice sparkler from Massachusetts that always shows well, even in blind tastings.