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Battle of the Bubbles
Weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries are marked by popping bottles of Champagne. Napoleon toasted victories with it, and famously used it to soothe his frayed nerves following particularly challenging battles. Musicians have name-checked Champagne across genres. Indeed, Champagne has been so beloved for so long that mere mention of the wine, and by default the region it comes from, is enough to instantly convey a sense of celebration, well-being, and success.
That iconic status, however, has come at a price: Even today, the word “Champagne” continues to be used as shorthand for sparkling wine in general, which is just not accurate. Champagne, we’re constantly told, only comes from the region of the same name in France. But what really sets it apart from its two main fizzy counterparts from Italy and Spain, Cava and Prosecco?
Martha is bringing together a flight of these three well-known sparkling wines in a guided tasting to help you decide which bubbles are best.
Champagne
Due to French wine law, it’s not enough for a wine to sparkle and be made in the region to qualify as Champagne. There are a number of rules and regulations that must be adhered to, from the vineyard to the caves in which the all-important aging takes place, for a bottle to earn the right to be referred to as Champagne.
Prosecco
If Champagne is built on a base of richness and depth, then Prosecco is its more fruit-driven counterpart. Hailing from Northeastern Italy (specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions) Prosecco is produced from the Glera grape variety. Interestingly, the name of the grape used to be Prosecco, but that was changed to help avoid confusion.
Cava
Cava gets its bubbles in the same way as Champagne, in the individual bottle. It’s important to note, however, that when it’s done in Champagne, the process is called Méthode Champenoise, whereas elsewhere it’s generally referred to as some version of “traditional method.” Méthode Traditionelle in other parts of France, Método Tradicional in Spain, and so on.
Organizer
Martha Ardila
Martha is a retired diplomat for the Colombian government, having years of experience in the organization and creation of cultural events including the famous annual Latin American Festival in Istanbul. Over the last 15 years Martha lived in the Southern California wine area and contributed to the creation of numerous wine experiences, such as chocolate wine pairings for some of the biggest wineries of the area. Now living in Moraira, she is in a mission to bring wine lovers together with the wine makers of Alicante in a series of fun, entertaining and educational events.