Serving Sparkling Wine at Your Wedding

The days of Champagne toasts aren’t over, but more and more couples are opting for sparkling wine at their weddings. Part of the switch is economic—sparkling wines are less expensive—and part is simply a matter of taste. California sparkling wines have taken a cue from their Napa wine counterparts, and a whole new crop of wonderful bubbly is rising up from all over the world.

“Sparkling wines have improved tremendously in the last two generations,” says Jon Rollo, owner of Greenleaf Gourmet Chopshop in Beverly Hills. “The style is different, the goal is the same.”

To be called “Champagne” the bubbly has to originate from the Champagne region in France. (In the same way that Burgundy is from the Burgundy region, Scotch is from Scotland, etc.)  For years, people have mistakenly called all sparkling wines Champagne (out of the belief “Champagne” meant “high quality,” and “sparkling wine” meant “poor quality”), but now they’re starting to use the real names, and proudly.

There’s no stigma attached to serving sparkling wine at your wedding (you can still call it a Champagne Toast), and it’s highly unlikely a guest will ask—or complain. “Anyone who cares probably shouldn’t have been invited,” jokes Rollo, adding that Italian sparkling wines are on a par with some high-end champagne, but for about a third of the cost.

Which way you go is entirely up to you, and some people simply like the taste of Champagne better than sparkling wine. Much of that is determined by tradition and memory. Rollo says that couples who’ve toured the Napa Valley often prefer sparkling wine over champagne because it’s a sentimental reminder of the trip. Similarly, you might have strong memories of Champagne because of your parents’ tastes or your own travels, and want to stick with the drink that you know best.

Price-wise, sparkling wine gives you “more bang for your buck,” and if you’re on a tight budget, it’s worth considering; especially if the alternative is to down-size the drink. “I haven’t been to a wedding in years where the couple has gone for high-end champagne,” says Rollo.

According to Rollo, the smartest move is to set up a sparkling wine tasting and find out what you like. The advantage is two-fold: You might find a sparkling wine that you absolutely love, and if guests do ask why you opted for sparkling wine instead of champagne, the answer is easy.

“You tell them it’s your favorite,” he says. “And then tell them about the great winery you discovered.”

We’ll drink to that!

-David Toussaint

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