The main difference between Prosecco Champagne and sparkling wine is mainly in the nomenclature. Sparkling wine is an effervescent wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide. Both Champagne and Prosecco are types of sparkling wines; Prosecco has an Italian origin while Champagne has a French origin.
Although both Prosecco and Champagne are sparkling wine, there is a difference between them in terms of production of methods, types of grapes, as well as origins.
Key Areas Covered
1. What is Sparkling Wine
– Definition, Features
2. What is Champagne
– Definition, Features
3. What is Prosecco
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Prosecco Champagne and Sparkling Wine
– Comparison of Key Differences
Key Terms
Champagne, Prosecco, Sparkling Wine
What is Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine is basically grape juice with alcohol and bubbles. It has a significant level of carbon dioxide, making it fizzy. We can also describe it as a wine that is naturally carbonated by a second fermentation. Chardonnay and pinot noir are the most common grapes we use for sparkling wine, but it is possible to make sparkling wine with virtually any grape. Moreover, sparkling wine is white because it originates from the flesh of grapes, which is always clear.
Both Champagne and Prosecco are sparkling wines, but we cannot classify all sparkling wines as Champagne or Prosecco. Moreover, we often use the name sparkling wine to refer to all bubbly wine that isn’t classified as Champagne or Prosecco.
What is Champagne
Champagne is a sparkling wine produced in the region of Champagne, France. It only uses three varieties of grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. There are strict rules governing the champagne making. For example, all grapes that are used in Champagne must be handpicked.
Champagne is produced in a special process called Méthode Champenoise. It starts with making several or more still wines by pressing the grapes and adding yeast, which converts the sugar in the grape juice to alcohol. Winemakers then blend the still wines, using wines from different grapes, vineyards, and vintages. Then, they add a mixture of sugar and yeast (Liqueur de Tirage), and the still wine is set into bottles and capped with temporary caps, which causes a second fermentation inside each bottle (by trapping Carbon Dioxide released by the yeast as it consumes the sugar). This is what creates Champagne’s signature bubbles. Non-vintage champagnes then undergo ageing of a minimum of fifteen months while vintage champagnes undergo ageing of three years.
What is Prosecco
Prosecco is a sparkling white wine from Italy. The name Prosecco comes from a small Italian village named Prosecco, where this wine was first made. Moreover, for a bottle of wine to be categorized as Prosecco, it must originate from the Veneto region of Italy. Prosecco was invented centuries after Champagne, and it less associated with luxury than Prosecco. It is also less expensive than Champagne.
Prosecco uses glera grapes and undergoes a different production process than Champagne. It involves the Charmat Method. In this method, the second fermentation process is done in a steel tank rather than in the bottle itself, and then the fermented liquid is bottled.
Difference Between Prosecco Champagne and Sparkling Wine
Definition
Prosecco is a sparkling white wine originating from Italy while Champagne is a sparkling wine originating from the region of Champagne in France. Sparkling wine, on the other hand, is an effervescent wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide.
Process
Production of Prosecco involves the Charmat Method while production of Champagne involves Méthode Champenoise. When producing Champagne, yeast is added to the bottles, but in Prosecco, yeast is added to the tanks before bottling.
Type of Grapes
Prosecco uses Glera grapes while Champagne uses Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. In general, sparkling wine can be made with any variety of grapes.
Region
Moreover, Prosecco originates from Veneto region of Italy while Champagne originates from the region of Champagne in France. Sparkling wine is made all over the world.
Price
Prosecco is cheaper than Champagne, and sparkling wine is available at different price levels.
Conclusion
Sparkling wine is an effervescent wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide. Prosecco is a sparkling white wine originating from Italy while Champagne is a sparkling wine originating from the region of Champagne in France. Thus, this is the main difference between Prosecco Champagne and Sparkling Wine.
Reference:
1. Brassard, Jessica. “What Is Sparkling Wine?” Real Simple, Available here.
2. “What Is Prosecco – Everything You Want To Know.” Visit Prosecco Italy, 11 Sept. 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Sparkling wine in a flute” By Lachlan Hardy – Flickr: Glass 4 (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Jean Laurent Champagne” By Andreas Kollegger – originally posted to Flickr as Jean Laurent (CC BY 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
3. “Champagne, prosecco, franciacorta, bottle of sparkling wine, drink, alcohol, aperitif, benefit from, prost, party” (CC0) via Pxfuel
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