Sparkling wine: from Prosecco to Champagne

The region, not the method. Both are born from a second fermentation in the bottle. Champagne comes from Champagne and rests for at least fifteen months on its lees; Crémant comes from another French appellation, Burgundy in our cellar, with a shorter resting period. For the same producer quality, Crémant costs two to three times less.

It depends on the occasion. Prosecco is made in stainless steel tanks: fruity, light, unbeatable as an aperitif and under twenty euros. Champagne is made in the bottle: more vinous, more complex, it has the body to accompany a meal. These are not two levels of quality, they are two different uses.

This is the dosage, the amount of sugar added before the final corking. Brut Nature: less than 3 g/l, no added sugar. Extra-Brut: up to 6 g/l. Brut: up to 12 g/l. Extra-Dry: from 12 to 17 g/l, therefore sweeter than Brut despite its misleading name. Sec (Dry): from 17 to 32 g/l. Demi-Sec (Medium Dry): from 32 to 50 g/l.

It is the South African name for the traditional method: second fermentation in the bottle and aging on lees, exactly like in Champagne. The appellation has been protected since 1992. Our bottle comes from Groot Constantia, one of the oldest estates in the country, in the Cape Winelands.

A Moscato d'Asti or a Brachetto d'Acqui, both from Piedmont. Their sugar is natural, stopped by cold during fermentation, and their alcohol content often falls below 7%. Simple rule: the wine must be at least as sweet as the dessert, otherwise it will seem acidic by comparison.

The selection starts at €9.90, with most bottles remaining under twenty euros. Between €13 and €17, a Valdobbiadene prosecco or a grower's Burgundy Crémant already offer great value. Beyond thirty euros, you enter the realm of Premier Cru champagnes and long-aged cuvées.

Between 8 and 10°C, a little more for a long-aged champagne. Too cold, the bubbles become sharp and the aromas close off. Allow three hours in the refrigerator, or twenty minutes in a bucket filled with water and ice, which cools much faster than ice alone.

Preferably in a white wine glass. The flute was designed to showcase the string of bubbles, not to reveal the aromas: it is too narrow for the wine to express itself. The only glass to truly avoid is the coupe, which allows the gas and aroma to escape within minutes.

Twenty-four to forty-eight hours with a clip-on stopper, in the refrigerator. The spoon in the neck is a myth; it doesn't preserve anything at all. A bottle that has lost its fizz can still be used in cooking, in a risotto or a sauce.

It depends on the method. Prosecco and Moscato d'A'sti should be drunk within a year, as their appeal lies in their fruitiness, which fades over time. Champagne and traditional method Crémant can be kept for several years and will develop brioche notes. Store bottles on their side, away from light, between 10 and 12 °C.