Sparkling wine Sparkling wine Sparkling wine is a wine with significant levels of carbon dioxide in it, making it fizzy. Commonly called champagne, EU countries legally reserve that term for products exclusively produced in the Champagne region of France. Usually sparkling wine is white or rosé, but there are examples of red sparkling wines such as the Italian Brachetto, Bonarda and Lambrusco, Australian sparkling Shiraz, and Azerbaijani "Pearl of Azerbaijan" made from Madrasa grapes. The sweetness of sparkling wine can range from very dry "brut" styles to sweeter "doux" varieties (French for 'raw' and 'sweet', respectively). The sparkling quality of these wines
Globalization of wine has made the big companies less tolerant of blends of obscure grapes, instead preferring to market 'big name' varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot noir, Syrah (Shiraz), Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc and Riesling. Another growing trend has been the practice of the blending of bulk wine from other countries with local wine. In some cases, a wine marketed as a local product may be sourced entirely from elsewhere. Regulations on this practice vary widely, depending on the jurisdiction. The Judgment of Paris in 1976 and subsequent wine competitions helped winemakers throughout the New World realize that they could make wines