Prosecco v Champagne

Happy February!
The second entry in the Grad.Life Versus series: Prosecco v Champagne!

    Yes, even poor graduate students have things to celebrate occasionally! Passing orals, defending the thesis or dissertation, getting an interview or a job, receiving a fellowship award, getting a grant, winning an essay prize, publishing an article, finishing a course, completing a chapter or a seminar paper, submitting a huge post-doc application -- all of these call for a celebratory toast between you and your loved ones, or, at least, you and your advisor.
    The question is, do you choose Prosecco, or Champagne? What are the differences? What does your choice reveal about YOU?
   Here are some fun facts about "poppin' bubbly" that all graduate students who believe "you are what you drink" should know. You can decide which one you want to clink with!

• A bottle of Champagne can have as many as 49 million bubbles. Reportedly, Prosecco may have slightly less, but still in the 40 million range.

• The cork of the Champagne bottle can pop at a velocity of 40 miles per hour and it can even reach to a speed of 100 miles per hour. 

• A raisin kept in a glass of champagne will keep rising to the top and sinking to the bottom. No word on if this happens with Prosecco, but let me know if you try it out. I'm picturing a Mr. Wizard-esque challenge, with a hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion. Go. 

• The bigger the bubble, the cheaper the bottle: The size of the bubbles is one of the factors that determine the quality of the champagne. High quality champagne is denoted by tiny bubbles. Large bubbles are a mark of inferior quality.

• For the calorie conscious grad, go Italian: There are 69 calories in 3.5 oz of Prosecco, but 87 calories in 3.5 oz of Champagne! 

• By wine scholars, Prosecco is considered the more fun, less serious bubbly compared to Champagne. 

• Prosecco should have the three FR's: fresh, frothy, and fruity! How's that for great alliteration!

• Both Prosecco and Champagne are regions in Italy and France, respectively. 

• Prosecco is made using the Charmat method, by which bubbles are produced in stainless steel vats. This method is cheaper than the Champeniose method used for Champagne, by which the bubbles are created directly in the bottle. 

• Prosecco is best if young and fresh -- Champagne can be a bit more aged, because it is carbonated right in its own bottle.

Let me know your choices for your next celebration!!
-- Until next time, Liza