Only one region in France can legally call its sparkling wine Champagne.

12 things we learned about Champagne

Champagne isn’t just sparkling wine—it’s a protected name tied to France’s Champagne region and made using the strict champenoise method. This explainer looks at its surprising history, from early fermentation mishaps to how it became a global symbol of celebration.

Strict rules dictate the making of Champagne

Some regulations, such as geographical area and grape varieties, are fairly well known. But to be true Champagne, winemakers must follow guidelines for all sorts of finicky things, including pruning, press yield (how much juice is extracted from the grapes), alcohol content, vineyard management, and aging, among others.

There's a legal loophole behind California Champagne

In the late 19th century, sparkling wine production took root in California before France began the fight to own the term “Champagne.” Many American winemakers already used it for easy recognition. The battle continued for over a century before reaching an agreement in 2005, stipulating that American sparkling wine couldn’t be labeled as Champagne unless the producer was already calling it such.

Cava is Spain's sparkling wine

Champagne is delicious, but it’s not the most budget-friendly beverage. Cava is a Spanish wine produced through the same traditional method used to make Champagne but often sold at a lower price. Cava can be produced in several different regions, offering the possibility of more diversity than what is typically found in Champagne.

In 1910, riots swept Champagne over unfairness in the winemaking industry

The French are well known for protesting, and their winegrowers are no exception. After years of disastrous harvests caused by bad weather, disease, and deceptive practices by large Champagne houses, smaller vintners fought back.

The vast majority of Champagne is labeled 'dry' or even 'extra dry'

Sweetness levels are determined by the amount of sugar added to the wine at the end of the process—anything up to 6 grams per liter is extra dry, and up to 12 grams per liter is still considered dry.

Champagne’s fizz used to be considered a flaw

The bubbliness that we love now was once considered a winemaking failure. In fact, Dom Pérignon probably would have referred to it by its common nickname at the time, "vin du diable," or devil’s wine. The wine’s volatility often caused bottles to explode, which was both dangerous and costly. It wasn’t until the development of sturdier bottles and more consistent winemaking techniques that popularity truly soared.

Watch experts blindly taste test Champagne and other sparkling wines

Champagne’s prestige typically comes with a high price. So is it worth it? Professional wine judge Dr. Matthew Horkey invites a Champagne expert and a producer to a blind taste test to find out. The individuals try sparkling wines from across the world and do their best to sniff out (sip out?) which is the real-deal Champagne.

Prosecco—Italy's sparkling wine—is produced using the tank method

Italy’s best-known sparkling wine, Prosecco, has many similarities to Champagne. However, Prosecco performs its secondary fermentation in a different manner. Rather than taking place in the bottle using the French method, fermentation of Prosecco takes place in large, pressurized steel tanks, making it easier to produce on a large scale. The technique results in light, fresh flavors and plenty of bubbles.

Dom Pérignon was a 17th-century French monk often inaccurately credited with inventing Champagne

You’ve probably heard of Dom Pérignon the brand, but what do you know about Dom Pérignon the man? He is often credited with inventing Champagne—which is why the iconic (and expensive) Champagne house is named after him—but the truth is he simply pioneered many methods for manufacturing it.

Champagne played a role in resisting the Nazis

When France surrendered to the Nazis in 1940, the invaders occupied the north. This was home to wine regions like Champagne and Bordeaux, which the Nazis were eager to loot. Winemakers took a stand by sheltering dissidents in their cellars, passing intelligence across borders, and even giving their lives to the cause.

In 2025, Moët & Chandon was the leading Champagne brand

Valued at nearly $1.5B, Moët & Chandon leads the charge in brand value. Following closely are Chandon and Veuve Clicquot.

Modern Champagne owes much of its existence to one woman: Widow Clicquot

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, better known as the Widow Clicquot, might not have actually invented Champagne, but her innovative approach to winemaking yielded many techniques still used today. Taking over her husband’s failing business after his death, the Widow Clicquot combined business savvy and innovative thinking to make the process easier, more efficient, and, most important, more profitable.

The tradition of drinking Champagne on New Year's is believed to come from ancient Rome

Julius Caesar might not have had sparkling wine, but when the Romans created the now-standard calendar that begins on Jan. 1, they celebrated with a toast. The tradition spread throughout Europe and then the colonies, and so when Champagne became the drink of choice for special occasions, it was only natural that it became the standard New Year’s Eve sip.

One of the Widow Clicquot’s many innovations was the process of riddling

Riddling involves storing Champagne bottles at an angle and methodically turning them in order to collect any sediment in the neck of the bottle. The technique—which was kept a strict secret—cut down on both time and waste, allowing the House of Clicquot to outsell its competitors for decades until word inevitably leaked and riddling became the standard.

How disgorgement works while making sparkling wine

After riddling, winemakers still need to dispose of collected sediment in wines. While this was once done by hand, the modern method of freezing the bottle's neck and removing the now-solid sediment is ubiquitous. In this short video, an enologist (wine expert) from California’s Halter Ranch vineyards explains each step of the mechanical disgorgement process, complete with footage from their production line.

Britain’s bottle innovation saved Champagne

Champagne wouldn’t be where it is today without a surprising partner: 17th-century British glassmakers. An energy crisis caused by deforestation—not enough trees to burn—led to the search for an alternative fuel source. Enter coal. The plentiful resource burned much hotter than wood, creating stronger glass that could stand up to the pressure of the carbon monoxide produced by the wine’s second fermentation and solving one of the fledgling industry’s most vexing problems.

The Judgment of Paris put Napa on the world stage

Napa wines burst onto the world stage in 1976 when a British wine merchant invited nine French wine experts for a blind tasting of French and Californian wines, meaning that the tasters would not know the origin of the wines as they sampled. Unexpectedly, Napa’s wines dominated the tasting. That tasting, called the Judgment of Paris, was the catalyst for California being taken seriously by the global wine community.

A blind taste test in 1976 determined that California produced better wine than France in a decision known as 'the Judgment of Paris' that realigned the wine world.

Champagne has a rich history in hip-hop

The drink is both aspirational and a bragging right. Famous artists name-check brands like Cristal, and up-and-comers long for the day when sparkling wine will flow like water. The trend traces back to the early 1990s and Branson B., “hip-hop’s unofficial sommelier.” The Harlem-based artist would bring bottles of his favorite bubbly to parties, celebrations, and, crucially, recording studios, where friends like the Notorious B.I.G. were laying down some of rap’s foundational tracks.

The top wine-producing countries in the world

Three European countries dominate the world in wine production: France, Italy, and Spain. This table lays out how the world's top wine-producing countries compare in terms of annual volume, with Europe and the United States comprising the bulk of production. Visualize the country-by-country difference with this bar graph.

Making Champagne from start to finish

This video from wine educator Amelia Singer covers everything from grape to glass. She’ll walk you through pressing the fruit, fermentation, aging, disgorgement, and, of course, drinking.

The business mastermind behind Veuve Clicquot Champagne was an 1800s French widow.

On an island off Cannes, monks make their own wine

Saint-Honorat Island is home to the Lérins Abbey, where an order of monks makes wine, liqueurs, and olive oil—when they’re not praying.

Wine is divided between Old World and New World

The distinction stems from both geography and winemaking technique and tradition. This video breaks down how different viticultural regions fit into each category and the common traits of both Old World and New World wines. It also provides helpful tips for reading Old World wine labels.

Santa Barbara County features seven designated wine regions

Grapes are notoriously fickle about where they grow and cannot be cultivated just anywhere. That’s what makes the county’s seven American Viticultural Areas so unique and cool—from the Santa Ynez valley to the Los Olivos District.

Napa's growing conditions are unique

The French term "terroir" refers to the "sense of place" that growing conditions impart on a wine. Because the Napa Valley is surrounded by mountains on three sides, the combination of cold air from the Pacific coast and warm air from inland leaves Napa's wine with a distinct terroir.

Sparkling wine was a political tool in the Soviet Union

To show the world that the Soviet Union had recovered after the devastating famine of the early 1930s, leader Josef Stalin turned to a surprising source: sparkling wine. Stalin believed that if everyday citizens could access luxury goods like caviar and Champagne, it would show socialism had succeeded. The result was Sovetskoye Shampanskoye, a Soviet-made sparkler that achieved his goal of availability and affordability if not quality.

France has a strict and explicit separation of church and state

France's principle of laïcité—strict separation of church and state—prohibits religious expression in public institutions, including the wearing of religious clothing and symbols in public schools and by government employees.

Switzerland is widely considered the world capital of cheese

This charming infographic looks at the cheese-related habits of Europe’s top three cheese-producing countries: Italy, France, and Switzerland. Cheeses in France are reported to be the lightest, and Swiss cheeses the heaviest.

There are more than three dozen grape varieties in Napa

Cabernet sauvignon is Napa’s most popular grape, accounting for 40% of production, followed by chardonnay.

The Judgment of Paris was organized by Steve Spurrier

The English wine merchant organized the competition with Patricia Gallagher at his Paris wine shop. In this in-depth interview, he talks about how he got into the wine trade, how the Judgment of Paris impacted his own career and the global wine scene, and tells some of his favorite stories from the past.

Napa was the second officially sanctioned wine-growing region in the US

In 1979, the ATF created the American Viticultural Area system. Modeled on similar European systems, it delineated wine-growing regions in the United States. Napa Valley was the second AVA established—the first was in Missouri. Now, any wine labeled with the Napa Valley AVA must source 100% of its grapes from that area.

Some people smash Champagne bottles on ships for good luck

Long before Champagne existed, people performed good-luck rituals before setting sail. But since animal sacrifice is generally frowned upon these days, a new tradition developed before a ship’s maiden voyage: smashing a bottle of Champagne against the hull.

Visualizing California's wine production

While Europe has France, Italy, and Spain, the US has California. The bulk of US wine production takes place in the Golden State, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the United States’ nearly 800 million gallons produced each year. This chart compares California and United States wine production from 1995 through 2022. Production in both has been trending down for several years, partially due to extreme weather events.

Distinguishing club soda, seltzer, and sparkling water

The three forms of drinking water are similar, but their differences lie mostly in the presence and proportion of minerals and carbonation. Read this quick explainer on the major differences.

Wine explained

Wine is the sublime product of fermentation, the process of breaking down fruit—typically grapes. As the grapes ferment, yeast consumes the natural sugars and converts them to alcohol. With the process first developed and refined thousands of years ago, wine has been a central feature of celebrations throughout modern history. Want to learn more about its origins? Check out 1440's explainer on wine.