It is the time of year that people are buying delicious bubbly, while we think a bottle of sparkling wine is great any time of year, we know that this may be the only time that some people buy some fizzy, so we want to help layout some of the terms you may see on a bottle to make sure you are getting what you truly want!

Champagne
The term Champagne is almost used like Kleenex, the brand name defines a whole category. "True" Champagne only comes from Champagne, France and can only be made with a few grapes. It is also made in a particular method and aged for at least 18 months in bottle.

Note: Some bottles say "California Champagne", these brands have been grandfathered in to legally use the term, but it isn’t "true Champagne"

Brut
The style that most bubbles are made in, this style is a dry style

Extra Dry
Confusing, but extra dry is sweeter than Brut, not super sweet, but not dry.

Dry (Sec)
If you see Dry or Sec, French for dry, on a label this wine is actually going to be fairly sweet.

Traditional Method/Methode Traditionale
This means that the wine is made in the unique method that is used to make Champagne, this means the bubbles are actually made in the bottle of bubbles itself through a second fermentation.

Cremant
A sparkling wine from France made in the traditional method, but somewhere other than Champagne, we love Cremants from Bourgogne (Burgundy) and Alsace!

Prosecco
Italy’s main sparkling wine, made in its own method. We love Prosecco for sparkling wine cocktails!

Cava
Spanish bubbles made using the traditional method. For when you have Caviar taste, but a French fry budget.

Non-Vintage
Most bubbles are a combination of a few years harvest, so they are labeled non-vintage. This allows winemakers to make a consistent style of wine.

Vintage
When all the grapes used to make a bottle of bubbles come from one harvest, it is called a "vintage" wine. This is most common with Champagnes and these wines are only made in exceptionally good years. Some notable recent Champagne vintages: 2002, 2008, 2012 and 2019