What distinguishes a sparkling wine?
Unlike most wines, champagne goes through a second fermentation that creates the bubbles. The two grapes from which champagne is usually made are chardonnay (white grape) and pinot noir (dark grape). White champagnes are made from chardonnay, while rose champagnes are made from a blend of the two or entirely pinot noir. One of the greatest qualities of champagne is its versatility. A great champagne goes with just about anything, but when served as an aperitif, sparkling wines should be the extra-dry or brute style, depending on the hors d’oeuvres offered, the crowd mix and the first course to be served. Did you know? Champagne’s history goes back 300 years, when it was called “leaping light in a glass.” Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk who was the chief winemaker of an abbey located in the historic Champagne region of France, perfected the technique for making sparkling wine. In 1743, Claude Moet purchased the abbey and turned it into a winery of great renown. His most celebrated cham
