Champagne, and all wines with bubbles, falls under a broad category known as sparkling wine, but Champagne specifically comes from the famous wine region in France of the same name. It is made by the traditional labor and time-intensive method known as méthode champenoise. In addition, the grapes that make genuine Champagne are limited by French law to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Through international trademark law, it is no longer legal to identify a sparkling wine that is made outside the Champagne region of France as “Champagne.” A few American producers, “grandfathered in,” are permitted to label their sparkling wine as “Champagne” if they choose to. Some, out of respect to the French, will opt to use the more generic term “sparkling wine.” There are no restrictions in the US as to the types of grapes that must be used in these wines.

Sparkling wines around the world are identified with the country’s own term for sparkling wine. For example, in Spain it is labeled cava and in Germany it’s known as sekt. Italy calls it spumante and in France, outside of its Champagne region, a sparkling wine is identified as crémant.

When reading any sparkling wine label, it might be helpful to see whether it includes the words “fermented in this bottle.” This is an indication that the wine was made using the traditional Champagne-making method, widely acknowledged to produce a superior style of sparkling wine, albeit at a higher cost.

Using méthode champenoise, California produces some world-class sparkling wines that are bright and crisp with a delightful level of acidity. Most offer subtle flavors of apple, pear, and sometimes a mild “toastiness” that originates from the yeast of the second fermentation that occurs inside the bottle and creates the bubbles. If the traditional method is not used, the label will usually indicate that either the “Charmat” method or “Transfer” method was used. These are less expensive ways of producing sparkling wine in larger volume.

One last thing to remember when shopping for Champagne or sparkling wines: terminology used to describe the level of dryness may be confusing. Particularly unusual is the use of the term “Extra-Dry,” which, in the lingo of the Champagne world, actually means a small amount of sweetness is detectable on the palate. The following guide translates some common Champagne categories:

• Extremely Dry: “Brut Nature” or “Extra Brut”
• Normal Dryness: “Brut”
• Just a tinge of noticeable sweetness: “Extra-Dry”
• Normal Sweetness: “Sec”
• Sweeter than normal: Demi-Sec”
• Extremely Sweet: “Doux”

Len Napolitano lives in San Luis Obispo County and is certified in wine by the Society of Wine Educators, Wine & Spirits Education Trust and Chicago Wine School and continually gains knowledge from his frequent contact with California winemakers. More information is on his website, www.wineology.com.

Send your questions about wine to: wineologist@earthlink.net or by mail to Len Napolitano in care of Wine Country This Week magazine. Wineology is a registered trademark of Len Napolitano.