Those who move in high society attending social gatherings and parties, they know how important it is to have a clear knowledge of different types of alcoholic beverages being served in such parties. For those who are strangers to the world of alcoholic beverages, it is easy to think of wine and Champagne as same. This is because they look similar being clear drinks and having similar tastes too. But ask a connoisseur and he would tell you that wine and Champagne are two different drinks with a fan following that can tell either without even drinking. Let us find out these differences.
Champagne
There is no gainsaying in the fact that Champagne indeed is a type of wine just like there are other sparkling wines and is made from specified varieties of grapes. However, it is the most popular of all sparkling wines and takes the cake when it comes to the most respected and loved wines in the world.
To be precise, Champagne is a bubbling wine made in an area of France called Champagne and no other sparkling wine made anywhere in the world can be referred to as Champagne. But it is also a fact that these days many other countries are producing clear sparkling wines that taste as good as Champagne and are even cheaper than Champagne. Champagne is made using Pinot and Chardonnay varieties of grapes that are locally grown in Champagne area of France.
Wine
Sparkling clear wines are so called because of the presence of bubbles of carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide may be because of the second round of fermentation of the wine that continues after the wine has been bottled. In some wines, CO2 may be added during bottling of wine, to make it a sparkling wine.
Sparkling wines made in different parts of the world make use of many varieties of grapes other than used to make Champagne, and the process of adding CO2 is also different.
Wine vs Champagne
Only the sparkling wine made in the Champagne area of France and using the grape varieties such as Pinot and Chardonnay can be labeled champagne to preserve the distinct flavor of this great wine that is being produced in France since 17th century. All other sparkling wines, though they have CO2 for bubbles and use fermentation to make them bubbly can never be called Champagne. This is because they make use of different varieties of grapes while making their wines and also employ different carbonation procedures.