Champagne might be sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. Americans increasingly understand this distinction, now that the quality and popularity of domestic bubbly is on the rise. The awareness that there are plenty of delicious sparklers on the market that don’t carry the name “Champagne” (which can only be used for wines from that particular region of France) is a clear sign of the progress U.S. producers have made in recent years.
Read more about U.S. sparkling wines in senior editor Tim Fish’s tasting report, including value picks and top botlings from Domaine Carneros, Roederer Estate, Schramsberg and more.
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