Moxie Vino

What is sparkling wine?

Sparkling wine is any wine with bubbles, and the big three are Champagne from France, Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain; Prosecco is the easiest good bottle for around $15.

All Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. That name belongs to one region in France. Everything else fizzy goes by its own name, and a lot of it is just as fun to drink for a third of the price.

Main types
Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, California sparkling, Crémant
Price range
About $10 to $20; Champagne starts near $40
Serve at
Very cold, about 40 to 45°F
Driest to sweetest
Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Demi-Sec
Bodylight → big
Sweetnessdry → sweet
Zingsoft → zippy

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava: what is the difference

Champagne and Cava get their bubbles from a second fermentation inside each bottle, which gives finer bubbles and a toasty, bready flavor. Prosecco is fermented in big tanks, so it stays fruity, with pear and green apple.

California sparkling wines like Chandon and Korbel use the Champagne method at a much lower price. Crémant is French bubbly made the same way outside the Champagne region, and is a great quiet bargain.

How to read the sweetness on the label

This is the confusing part. "Brut" is dry. "Extra Dry" is actually a little sweeter than Brut. "Dry" or "Sec" is sweeter again, and "Demi-Sec" is properly sweet.

If you want crisp and not sweet, buy Brut. If you like a softer, fruitier glass, Extra Dry Prosecco is a lovely middle ground.

What to eat with sparkling wine

Bubbles are the most food-friendly wine there is. Salty and fried food is the magic pairing: popcorn, potato chips, fried chicken, tempura. The bubbles and acidity scrub your mouth clean between bites.

It also works with sushi, oysters, eggs at brunch and soft cheeses. Save the sweet styles for cake.

How to open and serve it

Chill it for at least three hours in the fridge, or 30 minutes in a bucket of ice and water. Warm bubbly foams over and tastes flat.

To open, point the bottle away from people, hold the cork, and twist the bottle rather than the cork. You want a sigh, not a pop. A regular wine glass shows off the flavor better than a narrow flute.

Sparkling wines worth buying

  • La Marca Prosecco

    about $16

    GleraGood buy

    The everywhere Prosecco. Fruity, a hint of sweetness, and the one guests reach for first.

  • Mionetto Prosecco Brut

    about $13

    GleraGood buy

    Drier and zippier than La Marca. The pick for mimosas because it does not get cloying with juice.

  • Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut

    about $11

    Cava blendGood buy

    Spanish Cava in the black bottle. Crisp and dry, made like Champagne, for about eleven bucks.

  • Korbel Brut

    about $13

    California blendIt's fine

    Classic American party bubbly. Fresh and easy, and on sale constantly around the holidays.

  • Chandon Brut

    about $22

    Chardonnay and Pinot NoirGood buy

    The best step up from Prosecco without paying Champagne prices. Toasty and polished.

  • Kirkland Signature Brut Champagne

    about $22

    Champagne blendDrink this one

    Real Champagne for the price of a nice Prosecco, if you have a Costco card.

  • Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut

    about $60

    Champagne blendDrink this one

    The big-occasion bottle. Rich and toasty, and the orange label does half the celebrating for you.

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Last checked 2026-10-04.