Champagne << sham PAYN >> is a sparkling wine. It takes its name from the French province of Champagne, where the wine was first made. In general, only wines produced in that region by a traditional procedure receive the name champagne. Thus, sparkling wines from Italy are called spumante, those from Germany Sekt, and those from Spain cava. However, many sparkling wines made in the United States are labeled champagne.
Most champagnes are made from a blend of different grapes. Champagnes range in flavor from sweet to dry (nonsweet). The driest champagnes are labeled brut. The bubbles in champagne are produced by carbon dioxide gas. The gas becomes trapped in the wine during a process called secondary fermentation. To bring about this fermentation, winemakers add yeast and sugar to wine that has been bottled or placed in a closed tank.
