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Champagne or Prosecco? The Difference, and When to Pour Which
Champagne or prosecco: where each comes from, how the bubbles are made, how they taste and when to pour which, with one bottle of each to compare.
Champagne is French, toasty and dry, and its bubbles are made inside each bottle. Prosecco is Italian, light and fruity, and its bubbles are made in a sealed tank.
That one difference explains the taste, the price and when each suits. Here is the side-by-side, then when to pour which.
What is the difference between Champagne and prosecco?
Champagne
- Made in
- France, in the Champagne region
- Bubbles come from
- A second fermentation in each bottle
- Tastes like
- Citrus and brioche, toasty and dry
- Pour it for
- A toast, or a slow special meal
Prosecco
- Made in
- Italy, around the Veneto
- Bubbles come from
- A second fermentation in a sealed tank
- Tastes like
- Green apple and pear, light and fruity
- Pour it for
- A drink before a meal, or a spritz
When should you pour which?
Start with the moment, then the budget.
Pour Champagne when the bottle is part of the moment, such as a toast on Christmas Day or at New Year. Its toasty, dry taste suits sipping slowly on its own.
Pour prosecco when you want something light and easy: before a meal with a few starters, or as the base of a spritz or a mimosa. It usually costs less than Champagne.
- Serve both well chilled.
- Open prosecco within a year or two of buying. It is made to be drunk young.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut
A Champagne for a toast.
Citrus and brioche aromas, crisp acidity and persistent bubbles. Brut on the label means dry rather than sweet.
- Style
- French Champagne, Brut NV
- Tastes like
- Citrus and brioche
- Per glass
- About $15.00
Mionetto Prosecco
Pear and apple, light and crisp.
Light in body, crisp, with fine bubbles and a hint of citrus. Keep it in the fridge.
- Style
- Prosecco DOC
- Tastes like
- Green apple and pear
- Per glass
- About $4.20
The Celebration Box
Bubbly of your choice, boxed.
Choose Champagne or prosecco and we add the treats. It is wrapped, boxed and delivered NZ wide.
- Includes
- Chocolate, sweets, crackers, 2 miniatures
- You choose
- The bubbly
Quick answers
What is the difference between Champagne and prosecco?
Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France, with a second fermentation in each bottle. Prosecco is Italian, made from Glera, with the second fermentation in a sealed tank.
Does Champagne taste different from prosecco?
Yes. Champagne is toasty and dry, with notes such as citrus and brioche. Prosecco is lighter and fruitier, with green apple and pear.
Which should I use for a spritz or a mimosa?
Prosecco. Its light, fruity taste suits mixing, and Champagne is better on its own.
Is prosecco a cheaper Champagne?
No. It is a different wine, made in Italy from Glera and by a different method.
How long does prosecco keep?
It is made to be drunk young, so open a bottle within a year or two of buying it. Keep it in the fridge.
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