Fans of bubbly don’t need to break the bank on costly French Champagne…there’s plenty of Italian sparkling wines to sip on instead!

Franciacorta – Made in the Lombardy region, this is an elegant and hearty sparkling wine very much comparable to Champagne, right down to most of the grapes that compose it and the bottle-fermentation it undergoes.  Coming in all different types, from Rose’ to Saten, from bone dry to sweet, there is a Franciacorta for every preference.

Prosecco – This light and fruity sparkling wine is perfect for appetizers or midday summer breaks.  Its method of production makes it less expensive and much easier to drink than bottle-fermented bubblys.  Look for Prosecco di Conegliano or Prosecco di Valdobbiadene DOC/DOCG.  In Italy you can also find cheaper bottles of “frizzante” wines labeled “Glera” (the grape which makes up Prosecco), which are lower quality versions of the same wine.

Lambrusco – Lambrusco is a lightly sparkling red or rose’ wine from the Emilia-Romagna region primarily.  In the past (the 70’s and 80’s) this was a cheap party-wine, staining teeth and shirts all over the globe.  Nowadays it’s a fruity and sometimes bready sparkling wine, often noted for a beer-like bitter finish.  Check the label for sweetness, “amabile” indicates medium sweetness while “secco” means dry.

Asti Spumante – Made in Piedmont, this traditionally medium sweet bubbly is full of fruity and floral aromas, inexpensive, and perfect for special occasions and desserts!  Fans of this can also try the non-bubble Moscato d’Asti, a medium sweet still wine made from the same grape in the same area – perfect for fruity dishes or spicy asian plates.

Trentino DOC & Other “Metodo Classico” Wines – Made usually with some or all of the same grapes of Champagne (Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero, Chardonnay) and in the “classic method” (bottle fermented), these wines are complex, rich, more expensive, and perfect for special occasions and Champagne-fanatics.  Rose’ versions will have more red fruit aromas and tastes while Blanc versions will be more white blossomy and peachy.

Make sure to check the label for sweetness, here’s a handy guide:
– Ultra Brut/Extra Brut/Brut Zero/Brut Nature/Secco = all of these terms mean there is little or no residual sugar or added sweetness.
– Brut/Extra Dry/Extra Sec = mean an off-dry style, slightly sweet
– Dry/Sec/Demi-Sec/Amabile = indicate a wine with medium sweetness
– Dolce/Doux = means a wine is a very sweet wine