Other Sparkling Wines

In a less regulated world, Cava would be sold as a champagne, or at least as a Crémant. As it stands, it's just delicious. Cavas are produced in northern Spain, and the grapes are fermented in the same manner as champagne. While Cavas, like true champagnes, often use Chardonay and/or Pinot Noir grapes, they are not so limited. They also use varieties of grape not found outside Spain, such as the Macabeo, Parellada and Xarelo.

Asti Spumante and Moscato d'Asti are two Italian sparkling wines from the same region made from the Muscat grapes. Like the name says, Asti Spumante is a spumante (a dry sparkling wine), while Moscato d'Asti is a frizzante (which sparkles less, but is sweeter).

Prosecco is another Italian wine that comes in Spumante and Frizzante and, while delicious on its own, is really one of the few wines meant to go into cocktails. It can, of course, replace champagne in any of its own cocktails, but Prosecco goes best in a Bellini.

Italy's biggest secret is the Franciacorta Spumante. These sparkling wines are created in the Méthode Champenoise, and then fermented in the bottle. The result is a wine that is just as painstakingly crafted as a champagne, but that almost nobody has heard of.