While all Champagne is sparkling wine, not all sparkling wine is Champagne. To be called true “Champagne” it must come from the Champagne region of France, which is located about 90 miles northeast of Paris. Most countries honor French tradition and use different names for their sparkling wine such as spumante in Italy, sekt in Germany, and vin mousseux in other regions of France. In the United States and some South American countries, while it may be legal to use the term “champagne,” most is called sparkling wine, and top-quality sparkling wine is labeled to show it was produced in the French méthode Champenois.

Fermentation converts sugar into alcohol and carbonic gas—if the gas is set free you’re left with still wine, and if the gas is captured, you get sparkling wine. A second fermentation in a sealed container will capture the bubbles. The labor-intensive method known as méthode Champenoise produces the finest brut-style (dry) sparkling wine—a secondary bubble-causing fermentation takes place inside each bottle in which it is sold. More economically-priced sparkling wine uses the cuve close method, whereby first and second fermentations take place in large vats and then the wine is bottled under pressure.

Whatever style, or wherever your sparkling wine is made, it pairs very well with foods at a summertime meal, from sharply flavored cheeses such as chevre and Maroilles and fruit including (of course) strawberries and fruit salad, to sushi or pasta salads made with chicken, turkey, or seafood. If your dining includes more elaborate preparation, lobster, scallops, oysters, shrimp, and foie gras also work well with sparkling wine. Rosé sparkling wine can be a nice complement to Asian and Indian foods’ mysterious herbs, including dishes prepared with ginger, nutmeg, saffron, cumin, curry, and coriander.

Remember, whether you’re taking your picnic companion out on the road or out on the deck, it is best served very chilly (40-45°F). The cooler filled with ice water will work for the picnics in the park. (The water with the ice is necessary for temperature transfer.) At home, use either the ice bucket method or a gel-filled jacket kept in the freezer and placed over the bottle for six minutes.