The wine industry is full of terminology that may be confusing to the average person. For example, the Italians refer to slightly sparkling wines as frizzante wines. In Spain, however, frizzante wines are known as Vino de Aguja. The French term for this type of sparkling wine is Petillant and the German term is Perlwein.

Frizzante wines have small bubbles that offer a refreshing tingle while helping to mask the wine’s sweetness. Frizzante wines are also considered to be slightly less effervescent than champagne. If you find champagne to be too “fizzy” for your tastes, frizzante wines are a great beverage choice for weddings, anniversaries, holidays, and other special occasions.

Novices often confuse frizzante wines with spumante wines. However, true wine aficionados understand the subtle difference between these two terms. While semi-sparkling frizzante wines get their bubbles from a partial second fermentation, spumante wines are fully sparkling wines that are typically made with the traditional Méthode champenoise.

Although there are many different types of frizzante wines, Lambrusco, Gavi, Vinho Verde, and Moscato d'Asti are among the most common. If you are unfamiliar with frizzante wines, try serving one of these varieties at your next gathering.

Lambrusco is one of the most popular frizzante wines. The grapes used to make this aromatic wine originate in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The term secco is used to indicate a dry wine, while amabile is used to indicate a sweet wine on the labels. Lambrusco’s high carbon dioxide content makes it a delicious alternative to French-style wine.

Gavi is a yellow-gold wine named for Princess Gavia, daughter of the Frankish King Clodomiro. This frizzante wine features subtle flavors of apple, citrus, and honeysuckle and is a popular accompaniment to fish. Gavi is the most expensive Italian white wine shipped to the United States.

Moscato d'Asti is a frizzante wine from the soft pressing of the Moscato Bianco grape in the Piedmont region of Italy. It is often served as a dessert wine, but may be enjoyed as an aperitif as well. Wine experts typically recommend that Moscato d'Asti be consumed within two years of the vintage.

Vinho Verde is an inexpensive Portuguese frizzante wine. Although the name literally means “green wine,” it refers to the fact that the wine should be enjoyed while it is still young. These frizzante wines are available in white, red, and rose varieties. However, only the white wines are exported out of the country. Vinho Verde is most often served with clams, lobsters, crabs, or shrimp.