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Sparkling Wine: Prosecco vs. Cava vs. Champagne
The UK accounts for more than two-thirds of the world’s sparkling wine sales, and drinks one-third of all the Prosecco produced. As a nation, we love our bubbly - but do you know the difference between Prosecco, Champagne and Cava?
Prosecco
Origins: Veneto, Italy
Grapes: Glera
Taste: Prosecco is tank-aged, meaning the bubbles tend to be light and full of fizz. The finished drink is sweet, with common flavours including green apple, pear and cream.
Champagne
Origins: Champagne, France
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier
Taste: Champagne is bottle-aged, which means that you get finer and sharper bubbles, and the longer ageing on lees means you get a savoury flavour. The finished drink is typically very dry with high acidity. Common flavours are citrus fruits and almonds.
Cava
Origins: Cava, Spain
Grapes: Parellada, Xarello and Macabeo
Taste: Cava is also bottle-aged with prolonged contact with lees, meaning that it shares the yeasty notes of Champagne. However, because it’s aged for less time, it tends to have a less complex flavour although it’s similarly dry.
Whether you like your bubbles French, Italian or Spanish, let’s cheers to sparkling wines!