Ding Ding! Round 3 of the Sparkling 16 Tournament has finished and there are corks flying after this bubbly melee!
The Wine Folly Sparkling 16 Tournament runs until December 19 – learn how to play and win a Coravin Sparkling wine preservation system.
There was a highly unanticipated result, with an underdog knocking out a giant, but in another round the incumbent took it all home. Let’s see how round 3 played out.
Sparkling 16 Tournament – Week 3 Analysis
Division 1
Champagne vs. Cava
Traditional method head to head, France vs. Spain, David vs. Goliath. We thought Cava would put up more of a fight, but Champagne dominated this round with people casting their vote for the classic holiday tipple.
It should come as no surprise that Champagne dominated, but here at Wine Folly, we know the amazing value and quality that Cava can offer, so we had hoped to see more backing for Cava. Perhaps next time!
Challenge: Go out and try similarly priced Cava and Champagne – head to head on your table to discover your favorite!
Division 2
Prosecco vs. Crémant d’Alsace
A major upset! Wow! The Wine Folly team had all their chits on Prosecco, given that it’s the most popular sparkling wine in the world right now. But voters went with the traditional method Frenchie over the aromatic tank method Italian.
It was a fairly close match, but the clear winner was Crémant d’Alsace. It’s similarities in the glass to Champagne, such as a fine mousse, brioche notes, and lemon peel, may have been what led voters to go with the Alsatian.
Challenge: Try Prosecco and Crémant d’Alsace in a blind tasting to see which one you like best!
Match up for this Week
The Final is here – the week we’ve all been waiting for, but not the two contenders we were expecting! We figured Champagne would make it but we didn’t see Crémant d’Alsace fighting its way through the rounds.
This is a great final – these two regions are neighbours, only 180 miles apart, and are made using the same traditional method, and use some of the same grapes (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). Alsace is definitely the underdog – Champagne produces 10 times as many bottles per year!
Sign up to Win
Voting continues on Instagram with the next bracket this week and there are lots of ways to increase your chances at the big prize pack – be sure to check them all out when you submit your email.
The Final Four voting goes live at 12 Eastern, so head over to our Instagram to vote!