Yesterday was my first full day of exploring Paris with my study abroad class. We spent some time in churches such as St. Chapelle and the outside of Notre Dame, while I went with a group afterwards to see St. Severin and an Orthodox church. However, once class was over, the group hosting us threw a welcome picnic, to which I went with my group. The picnic was set on the outskirts of Luxembourg Gardens, in the Jardin des Grands, and was a wine and cheese tasting. Throughout the tasting, my group and I discussed wines we liked and disliked. I realized that white was better than red for me, however, red can be more mellow than white. I also realized that dry wines are not my preferred either. Nevertheless, this tasting prompted a thought from me: the wine I liked the most was carbonated, so should it be considered a sparkling wine then, or a type of prosecco? It couldn’t be champagne, since true champagne only hails from the region in France. I assumed all sparkling wine not made in Champagne was a prosecco. Well, after some research I learned a few things. First, my assumption was wrong. Just as only champagne can be from Champagne, prosecco is made in the Vento region of Italy, and since the wine we were drinking was from Rhône Valley region in France, it was, in fact, a sparkling wine. Second, the fermentation process differs, which increases the uniqueness of each. Champagne is made using what is known as the Traditional Method, meaning the wine is fermented once outside the bottle, and then once more inside the bottle, to increase the intensity of the bubbles. This is why champagne should really age for a number of years before. On the other hand, prosecco and sparkling wine are made using the Charmat Method, where the wine is fermented for a second time in large vats rather than in individually, and bottled under pressure. This is not a drink that gets better with age, and should really be consumed after only two or three years. Overall, the picnic was very enjoyable and the gardens were very beautiful to look at. I look forward to returning with the rest of the class.