Champagne Is No Longer the Sparkling Favorite

When it comes to Champagne, not many know that it has two competing rivals, Cava and Prosecco. Although similar in bubbly textures, each are different in their own ways. Champagne is made of one, or a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir grapes. Found in the Champagne region of France, makers of this call their process méthode Champenoise and are the only ones to call it so. Cava is similarly produced, but their process must be called tradionelle as it is made in Catalonia. Although possible to be made with similar make up to Champagne, Cava is primarily made of Macabeu, Parellada, and Xarello grapes. The sweetest of the three, Prosecco is made slightly differently through a process called charmat, which consists of tank fermentation instead of bottled. Coming from Italy, these sparkling delights are made with Glera grapes, which also used to be known as Prosecco, hence the name. Prosecco is the new favorite worldwide, as it is now outselling both Cava and Champagne.