Champagne is a famous drink from the French region of the same name that uses a second fermentation process to create the trademark bubbles. While many people use the term to refer to any type of sparkling wine, if it doesn’t come from the Champagne region it can’t legally be sold under this name.
Classic Champagne
The best champagne or sparkling wine is undoubtedly that which carries this name on the bottle. As well as coming from a specific region in France, it also has to use certain grapes, such as Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, or Chardonnay.
This bubbly drink is seen as being perfect for special occasions and has long been associated with the rich and famous. It should be served in a flute, to make the bubbles last for longer, and is ideal for serving with dessert.
Cava
In this case, it is a Spanish sparkling wine that is mainly produced in Catalonia. Cava can come in white or rosé varieties and has to be made using traditional processes to carry this name.
People used to call this Spanish Champagne, but this name has died out. This is one of the best champagne alternatives for drinking with cheese, salads, and seafood.
Prosecco
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine whose name comes from both the grape and the village where it is most commonly made. There are sparkling and semi-sparkling versions, and you might also see a still Prosecco at some point.
Like all sparkling wines, Prosecco is best served chilled. Most Prosecco is sweet, but there are dry variants too. Reasonable pricing means that this has become a hugely popular drink for special events in recent years. This is now the biggest-selling sparkling wine in the world.
Lambrusco
This is the name of the wine and also of the grape that it comes from. There are different types of Lambrusco, with the semi-sparkling type the best.
This could be the best champagne option for you if you want a red sparkling wine. You will see several different sweetness levels, with the sweetest generally the most popular. I would call this a versatile dinner wine, as it goes excellently with many different types of food.
Sekt
Sekt is simply the German word for sparkling wine and is one of the best champagne drinks that relatively few people know about. Sekt isn’t particularly well known outside of Germany, where over 360 million bottles were produced in 2017 for national consumption.
Manufacturers use either German or international wine and add the fizz to it. Some use tank fermentation but the Winzersekt name tells you that it has been fermented in the bottle. The Rieslingsekt is highly recommended for its rich flavor and freshness.
Summary
You don’t need to pay a fortune to drink the best champagne. Once you know what you are looking for, there are lots of fascinating choices for you to look at.