If you’re anything like me, you love the occasional glass of Champagne. It’s a marvelous aperitif—nothing sets the stage for a meal quite like a glass of bubbly. You’ve likely sipped both Champagne and sparkling wine, and may have wondered if there’s a difference. Here’s the lowdown!
What is Champagne?
True Champagne hails from the Champagne region in the northeastern nook of France. While all Champagne is sparkling wine, not all sparkling wine is Champagne. Think of it in the same terms as bourbon. All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. It’s technically illegal for a wine to be labeled Champagne if it doesn’t hail from the eponymous French region, or if it deviates from the strict set of guidelines outlined by law. (That’s why we capitalize actual Champagne, but keep it lowercase when referring to bubbly overall.)
What are the types of Champagne?
Champagne comes in a wide spectrum of styles and all of them are delicious. The most common ones you’ll see lining the shelves of your local wine shop or supermarket are dry, aka not sweet. That would be Brut Nature, Extra Brut or Brut. If you like a sugary kiss to your bubbly, keep an eye out for bottles labeled Extra Dry, Sec, Demi-Sec or Doux. They’re rarer but 100% worth hunting down.
By the way, here’s how to open a Champagne bottle the right way.
Why is Champagne so expensive?
The price tag on your bottle of Champagne all comes down to the way it’s made. (Bear with me, we’re going to get a little technical here.) The climate in the Champagne region can be unforgiving. The frost, rain and hail all pose a potential threat to vines during the growing season. Bad weather can spell disaster for grape bunches, leading to lower yields come harvest. Once harvest rolls around, the grapes must be picked by hand rather than by machine. As you might expect, hand-picking grapes is much more expensive.
The real costs start adding up when we get to Champagne production. Champagne is made using a process called the traditional method. The grape juice is fermented into a base wine and bottled. Then, winemakers add a mixture of sugar and yeast to kick off a secondary fermentation in the bottle. This is what gives bubbly its sparkle. From here, the wine must age for another 15 months for non-vintage or a minimum of three years for vintage, although some houses age their Champagnes for much longer.
With such a lengthy and labor-intensive process, it’s no wonder Champagne boasts such a hefty price tag! If you’re on a budget, our roundup of the best cheap champagnes will keep your guests, and your wallet, happy. Serve it in the right champagne glass and nobody will mind a bit.
If you want to make that bubbly last all night without having to actually pour every single glass, set up a self-serve champagne bar with sparkling wine, mixers and garnishes.
What’s the difference between Champagne and sparkling wine?
Sparkling wine comes from just about everywhere in the winemaking world. While many are made in the same way as Champagne, some sparkling wines get their fizz from other less time-consuming and less expensive methods.
Take Prosecco, for example. This Italian bubbly is produced using the Charmat method. Secondary fermentation happens in large pressurized tanks as opposed to in the bottle. The result is sparkling wines that are slightly less fizzy than their traditional method counterparts.
What should I buy?
It all depends on what you prefer! For special occasions, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of Champagne. But if you’d like to sip a flute of fizz on the regular, sparkling wine is your best friend. If you have Champagne tastes on a beer budget, fear not. You can still get your fix of bubbly courtesy of other excellent but more affordable sparkling wine regions. Value sparkling wines like cava, cremant or Prosecco are fantastic bases for cocktails or as a secret ingredient in dessert recipes. Learn how to make prosecco grapes with vodka.
If you’re whipping up a dessert that calls for a splash of bubbly, don’t use Champagne—it’s too expensive! Stick to budget-friendly bottles and you’ll never go wrong.
Up Next: The Best Champagne for Mimosas, According to a Sommelier
Bubbly Recipes for Champagne Cocktails
Orange Dream MimosasYour inner child will love this fun riff on the classic champagne cocktail. Use sparkling cider, ginger ale or sparkling grape juice for a nonalcoholic version. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
Avoid broken corks and bottles by learning
how to open a champagne bottle the right way.
Cotton Candy Champagne CocktailsYou’ll love these whimsical champagne cocktails. The cotton candy melts away, leaving behind its pretty pink color.
—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Pear & Ginger SparklerI created this twist on a Bellini when a friend gave me some Asian pears she grew in her backyard. If you like ginger and want more of a kick, try substituting ginger liqueur for the vodka. It's one of my favorite champagne cocktails! —Jacyn Siebert, San Francisco, California
Looking for a beverage for your New Year's Eve gathering? Check out some of our best
New Year's Eve drinks.
Mango BelliniSimple yet delicious, this mango Bellini is made with fresh mango puree and your favorite sparkling wine—I usually choose Prosecco for mine. You can easily turn it into a mocktail by using sparkling water in place of the champagne or Prosecco. —Ellen Folkman, Crystal Beach, Florida
For another simple sparkling wine cocktail, don't miss trying out this recipe for a
Kir Royale.
Vanilla Bean FizzA homemade vanilla bean syrup from our home economists fabulously flavors this hampagne cocktail. The bubbly beverage is ideal for holidays throughout the year.
If you want to make that bubbly last all night without having to actually pour every single glass, set up a self-serve
champagne bar with sparkling wine, mixers and garnishes.
Sparkling Apple Pie on the RocksThis is the perfect fall champagne cocktail. Apple cider mixed with a cinnamon caramel apple simple syrup and topped with bubbly—it's the best holiday drink ever! —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri
Cranberry Orange MimosasMimosas are just so elegant for Sunday brunch. My recipe uses tart cranberries to balance the sweetness of champagne and orange juice. —Shannon Stephens, Lake in the Hills, Illinois
Champagne CocktailThis amber champagne cocktail is a bubbly twist on the traditional old-fashioned. Try it with extra dry champagne. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Champagne SipperThis is a terrific champagne cocktail for any celebration. And because you make it by the pitcher, feel free to mingle with your guests instead of tending bar. —Moffat Frazier, New York, New York
Champagne PunchA blend of four fruit juices pairs well with bubbly champagne in this party-pleasing punch. A strawberry garnish adds a festive touch. —Amy Short, Lesage, West Virginia
PoinsettiaMixing festive red cranberry juice, Triple Sec and champagne creates a fun poinsettia drink for Christmas parties, a New Year's Eve bash or any get-together during the fall and winter seasons. Garnish with a few fresh berries and enjoy. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Bubbly Champagne PunchThis champagne punch, served at my wedding, continues to this day to be the elegant drink we serve at special events. —Anita Geoghagan, Woodstock, Georgia
Here's
how long champagne lasts once opened.
Holiday MimosaAdd a splash of color to your brunch table with this lovely rosy champagne cocktail. It has a fantastic sweet-tart taste. —Jessie Sarrazin, Livingston, Montana
Champagne Fruit PunchToast the happy couple at your next bridal shower with a fun and fruity drink! It’s the perfect refreshment on a hot day. —Kelly Tran, Salem, Oregon
Sparkling Peach BellinisFolks will savor the subtle kiss of peach flavor in this elegant brunch beverage. — Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Peach ChampagneI searched high and low for the perfect punch recipe and finally decided to create my own. This sipper is a big hit at parties, especially weddings. In summer I freeze fresh peaches and fresh strawberries; if you don't have fresh fruit, store-bought frozen fruit works just as well. —Linda Hall, Evington, Virginia
Mimosa FloatsEveryone needs a little treat at brunch! I wanted to kick things up a notch, so I added a scoop of ice cream to my mimosas. Sometimes I add chocolate, too.—Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota
Strawberry MimosasHere's a tasty twist on the classic mimosa. To make refreshing strawberry mimosas friendly for kids or mamas-to-be, substitute lemon-lime soda or ginger ale for the champagne. —Kelly Maxwell, Plainfield, Illinois
Try some of these
non-alcoholic party drinks, too.
Champagne Party PunchTo make this punch even more festive, float an ice ring in the punch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MimosaA standard offering at brunches, mimosas are as pretty as they are tasty. In this recipe, the champagne doesn't overpower the orange juice—especially if the champagne is extra dry. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Peach-Basil CoolerMix peaches and basil with club soda for a cool and refreshing mocktail! —Dana Hinck, Pensacola, Florida
Orange-Apricot Mimosa PunchWe make this punch for our annual Christmas brunch, and everyone loves it! I usually triple this recipe for a bigger crowd and garnish the punch with an orange-tangerine ice ring made several days ahead of time. —Kathy McKay, Acworth, Georgia
Spring Strawberry SangriaWine-infused berries make a lovely addition to this special-occasion drink. I love serving this during the beginning of spring to celebrate the new season. —Gina Quartermaine, Alexandria, Virginia
Up Next: The
Best Champagne for Mimosas, According to a Sommelier
Updated: Apr. 03, 2023
