Michelle: We’re joined by Corinna Hardgrave. She is going to give us a little
lesson on where we are and what we’re doing, what we’re looking for with sparkling wine
and the difference between Prosecco and champagne. Why would you choose one over
the other? What matches what food.

Corinna: I think some people choose based on what they like best. But there
are few things that make them different. So the first one is where they come from. OK, so
the Prosecco comes Italy from the Veneto region in the north of Italy, Cava comes from
Spain, from a few regions in Spain. But mainly Penedes just outside of Barcelona.
Champagne comes from Champagne in France. And then we’ve got sparkling wine made
in other parts of the world. Can I buy wine from California? No, because it’s protected. It’s
an EU thing. OK. So you can only call something champagne if it’s made in champagne.

Corinna: What’s the grape Prosecco? So the grape in prosecco is actually
prosecco, but they changed the name to Glera so that no one else can use the name
Prosecco so its quite clever what the Italians did there. But its only one grape and that’s
another point of difference because in fact it was just one grape. But in both champagne
and in Cava, it can be a blend of grapes.

Michelle: In Champagne you can have white and red grapes mixed together?

Corinna:  Yeah.

Michelle: Can you have white and red grapes mixed together in Cava?

Corinna: You can, but they don't typically. So the indigenous grapes are three of
them are white. But then you can also and more recently you can use Pinot Noir which is I
shall pay not sure tonight but like the really traditional Cava guys don’t want to do that.
They want to just use their own.

Michelle: And where do I go if I’m looking for some good value?

Corinna: Well it depends what you like. So always buy what you like. But Cava
is actually really, really good value because a lot of people don’t know the Cava is made it
the same method of champagne. One of the big differences between Cava and Prosecco
is age. So prosecco, it’s made in tanks and is made very quickly. It’s lovely and is made for
immediate drinking. It’s not aged where as Cava has to be aged for a minimum amount of
time, so after the bubbles are formed in the bottle, it must be aged for a minimum of nine
months for it.

Michelle: Brilliant, and finally, whats your tipple.

Corinna: Champagne. And of course I like very well made Cava too.

Michelle: So I’ve just discovered Colfondo Prosecco, so that’s my current
favourite!

Corinna: And I like that too because that’;s the original and its exciting. It's cool.

Michelle: Right. Thank you.