Champagne loses title as world's favorite fizzy

[LuvNewcastle]

http://www.france24.com/en/20101231-champagne-fizzy-sparkling-wine-uk-italy-prosseco-spumante-france

As the clock strikes twelve this New Year’s Eve, it will be
Italian and English wine-makers cheering the loudest, as they
pour Prosecco, Spumante and Sussex’s finest sparkling into
their champagne flutes.

The Italian winemakers’ association Assoenologi has estimated
that by the end of 2010, “bollicine”, or Italian bubbly, will
have sold some 380 million bottles worldwide – some ten
million more than sparkling wine from France’s Champagne
region.

Meanwhile in the UK, winemakers in the south of England are
exporting their bubbly as far afield as Japan after winning an
array of awards just 15 years into production.

[pipoman]

1. I am not a big wine drinker (or any alcohol for that matter)

but do enjoy a nice Italian Asti on special occasions. Most Champagne is too brut for my palate. The French are particularly snobish on production of sweeter sparkling wines which would more likely appeal to Americans, too busy associating sweet sparkling wine to soda pop would be my guess.

[tomp]

2. veuve cliquot = soda pop? try again. nt

[pipoman]

4. Wine snob, eh?

Who said anything about veuve cliquot? The #1 sparkling wine in the US is M&R Asti.

[tomp]

5. not a snob, just arguing that not all french champagnes are like soda pop.

sheesh.

[pipoman]

6. Then we are on the same page

I can't think of any that aren't dryer than I prefer. Either I wasn't succinct or you misunderstood my post.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. And thousands of French heads explode

Maybe millions.

[mitchtv]

7. having lived in Sonoma Valley

I only buy Californian. Some Carneros wines are special