My parents didn’t drink much when I was growing up (although with three kids, me one of them, I wouldn’t have blamed them). Sometimes a beer or two, occasionally a glass of wine, but never Champagne. I don’t remember any bubbles in our house, ever.

So I must have first sipped sparkling wine at a party somewhere, maybe at a wedding or on New Year’s Eve. I’m sure I thought it was fancy, and if it bubbled, I called it Champagne. It wasn’t until I got a little older that I heard Champagne is only Champagne if it comes from France. I filed that information away and felt more sophisticated for knowing it. All that other bubbly stuff? If it’s not French, and it’s not Champagne, it must not be as good, right?

You know what I’m going to say, don’t you?

I was wrong back then — SO wrong — and I think we should talk a minute about the category of sparkling wine.

Sparkling wine. What is it? What’s good? Why should you drink it?

Sparkling wine is wine with effervescence. Bubbles. There are many types of sparkling wines, of which Champagne is only one. Prosecco, Cava, Franciacorta, Lambrusco are all sparkling wines (and can all be delicious).

There are a few ways one can create bubbles in wine. Wine Folly has a great, detailed description here, and you can check out the image below for a visual, but I’ll summarize: all the best methods start with regular base wine (called the cuvée) and then add sugar and yeast. The yeast reacts with the sugars in the wine to create alcohol and CO2. Winemakers trap that CO2 and it carbonates the wine, creating those wonderful, tickly bubbles. The differences in methods mostly have to do with where you first trap the carbonation (in a tank or in bottles), and if you’re interested in that level of detail, read the Wine Folly piece.

Low-quality, bulk sparkling wines may be created by pumping CO2 into a still wine, like a Soda Stream for vino. I’m not going to judge you for drinking that stuff, but I am going to steer you away from it. The naturally fermented sparkling wines are just better.

So, what should you drink?

Champagne

Yes, of course. Champagne is usually a white wine, often made from Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, and always made in the Champagne region of France. Many other wines may taste like Champagne, may indeed be as good as Champagne. But by law, only the wine produced in that specific region can carry the name “Champagne.”

What you should know:

Experiment with Champagne and figure out what you like. Here’s a chart explaining the categories of sweetness in Champagne. Because of its high acid, even relatively sweet Champagnes taste pretty dry. Which is how I personally like it, but you may prefer something different. There’s only one way to know — taste it.

Cremant de…

If you see this in front of a French wine region — Bordeaux, for example — it means it’s sparkling. Because Champagne is not the only region in France that makes bubbly wine.

What you should know:

Cremants are generally cheaper than Champagne but are undeniably delicious, well-respected and, you know, French. So nothing to sneeze at.

Lambrusco

Yummy, fizzy and, yes, red. Surprised? This Italian red is lightly carbonated and once had a reputation for being inexpensive and sweet. No more. Many producers are making crisp, dry Lambruscos that are eminently drinkable. If you’ve never tried one, you really should. Bring one to your next party and you’ll be the cool kid.

What you should know:

much like a bouncy Beaujolais Nouveau, Lambrusco is meant to be enjoyed young and slightly chilled, and it goes well with all sorts of food (especially pizza!).

Sparkling Rosé

God yes. One of my favorites on a hot summer day, or pretty much any other day. I’ve already written about my year-round love of rosé but let me just add that bubbles do nothing but enhance all the deliciousness that is this pink wine.

What you should know:

want a real treat? Try rosé Champagne. My favorite is the somewhat pricey but completely fabulous Billecart-Salmon.

Prosecco

A sight cheaper than Champagne but delicious in its own way. This Italian white sparkling wine is easy to find and budget friendly, which means you can pour it freely and generously. Maybe at your next party? Because like Champagne, it goes with just about anything.

What you should know:

Prosecco is a great choice for mixing into cocktails that require a sparkling wine. You wouldn’t want to pervert a fine Champagne that way, but Prosecco is happy going anywhere. Try the classic Italian Aperol Spritz and tell me that’s not darn good.

Cava

The Spanish version of Prosecco, although slightly bubblier and drier. Charlie tells me that Cava ranges greatly in quality, but that even the very nicest ones still come in around $20 or less. So again, if you’re looking for a sparkling wine that’s budget friendly, Cava is perfect.

What you should know:

Cava is usually white but also comes in pink. Do try them both.

So, now that you know there’s so much more to bubbles than just Champagne, what do you want to try?