What is the Difference Between Sparkling Wine and Champagne?

Champagne is the name of a wine producing area in France and the name of a wine product. Champagne from this region must only be produced from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes and made in a traditional method called Methode Champenoise, where the secondary fermentation occurs in the champagne bottle.

Sparkling Wine is the U.S. classification for wine with carbonation and it can be produced in three ways, one of which is Methode Champenoise which is very labor and time intensive. But it is the only way to produce fine champagne with great mouthfeel and zillions of tiny bubbles. If it is produced in this manner it will always say Methode Champenoise on the label.

Look for it.