Understanding the Differences: Australian Sparkling Wines vs. Champagne

Behind every wedding or sports victory is a drink of celebration every celebrant or victor would toast and drink to, and the most common drinks associated with such occasions are sparkling wine and champagne. You’ve probably seen footages on television of athletes victoriously popping the champagne bottle after every successful match. Or a wedding when the bride and groom toast their marriage with a bottle of sparkling wine. But have you ever thought about the difference between these two?

While champagne and sparkling wine look similar and probably taste a little similar too, there are key differences to understand. However, all of us can agree that both beverages are a symbol of elegance and class, and obviously they both taste great. If you’re feeling thirsty for some good drinks right now or are planning a celebration, you can buy sparkling wine at Cloudwine right this instant while reading this article.

Champagne is only in France: for sparkling wine to be called “champagne,” it must be made in the Champagne region in France. This area has the perfect climate to grow the best grapes to produce champagne wine because in this region the weather is moist and cool. Not only that, but the surrounding area’s soil is rich in minerals thanks to the very wet environment. This makes it the perfect host for the grapes needed to make such a fine drink. While the grapes needed for sparkling wine are commonly found in Spain and Australia

Different Fermentation Process: the champagne fermentation process follows a strict set of rules dating back to the early days of winemaking. The method for making champagne starts with hand-picked grapes that are pressed right away instead of being processed and stocked first. They should only be pressed two times, no more, no less, in a covered and controlled environment. Champagne is also fermented in the bottle itself, compared to sparkling wine, which is fermented mostly in tanks or barrels.

Specific Grapes are Used: the most distinct difference is the type of grapes used for each drink. Champagne and sparkling wine use pinot noir, pinot meunière, and chardonnay. However, for champagne, these grapes should only be picked specifically in the Champagne region of France. While sparkling wine also has the same concoction, the temperature and climate to which these grapes grow play a big factor in the result of the beverage, whether it’s champagne or sparkling wine. 

Conclusion,

It might seem that the only difference here is the region in which they are made, but remember, the growth of crops can be more complex than we might assume. Even the smallest temperature change or soil component can make a difference in taste and texture. But regardless if it’s champagne or sparkling wine, at the end of the day, both drinks excel at marking special moments in our lives and surely leave a pretty satisfying taste in our mouths, or maybe you prefer a bottle of Japanese whisky instead.