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Sparkling Wine and Prosecco vs Champagne

Question:
What’s the difference between Sparkling Wine and Champagne?
What’s the difference between Prosecco and Champagne?

Answer:
The first thing that you probably noticed when comparing Sparkling Wine or Prosecco to Champagne, and what probably brought you to this page, is the price.
The same size bottle of Prosecco is cheaper than the bottle of Champagne. Although they are both considered sparkling wines, Champagne is considered the top of the line.

Prosecco vs Champagne

How Prosecco is Different Than Champagne

Champagne comes from a specific region of France.
Specifically, champagne is made only in the province of Champagne located in northeastern France. In order to be called champagne, it must have been bottled within this area. Proseccos can be bottled anywhere.

The grapes used to produce Champagne are of the highest quality.
Thus, these grapes are also more expensive than those used to produce Prosecco or Spanish Cavas.

Champagne is produced in bottles.
Procecco is produced in tanks.

The production requirements for champagne are very strict.

Champagne cannot be sold until it ages for at least 15 months.
This is a legal requirement. The maturation process of champagne is well beyond that of other sparkling beverages, giving it more depth than any of the other types. Many champagne producers will allow for 4 to 6 years of maturation before sale. Proseccos age for much shorter periods of time.

How Prosecco is Like Champagne

All of these sparkling wines should be opened slowly, allowing the pressure from the carbonation to be gently released.

All of them should be served in the same type of glass. A champagne flute allows for the bubbles to gather in the bottom and then quickly rise to the top of the pour.

All sparkling wines should be kept from away from sunlight.

All sparkling wines should be stored with the least air possible after opening.

Moscatos are made much like Proseccos but they taste even fruitier and sweeter when compared with Champagnes.

Storage TIP:
What happens when sparkling wines get too cold? It tends to lose both aroma and flavor. The ideal temperature for champagne is between 46°F-54°F, which is warmer than the recommended fridge temperature. A good champagne should be kept at this constant temperature, whereas the Prosecco, since it is sweeter to begin with, will do fine in the refrigerator where it will drop a bit of the sweetness and still be fine.

Purchasing TIP:
If you’re serving a crowd, pick up a magnum (which is 1.5 liters, or double the amount of a regular bottle). You’ll get fresher, superior quality bubbly since there was only about half the amount of liquid actually exposed to air in the bottle.

Prosecco vs Champagne

Additional Information

To find out how long champagne lasts, check our champagne page.

To find out the best ways to store both champagne and prosecco, see our champagne storage post.

To find out how long water lasts, check our water page.

To find out how long soda lasts, check our soda page.

To find out how long other foods are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or use the search function below.