Pronounced "may-tawd shaw-pah-nuaz", the words "Méthode Champenoise" on the bottle are a sign of quality.

Regardless of whether it is called Champagne or sparkling wine, what is really important is how the wine is made.  The best Champagnes and sparkling wines are made by méthode champenoise which requires a secondary fermentation in the bottle.  This method can also be referred to as ‘méthode traditionelle’.

This secondary fermentation is accomplished by adding a mixture of sugar and yeast, called the liqueur de tirage,  to still wine. This wine is then bottled, capped (usually with something resembling a beer bottle cap - not a cork) and laid down. The yeast acts on the sugar, as in all fermentation, but the resulting carbon dioxide remains trapped in the bottle. Quality sparkling wines are usually left on their yeast for several months, even up to three to six years. It is at the end of this process that the cap is removed and replaced with the traditional cork with wire cage.

The important thing to remember is that the secondary fermentation happens in the bottle in quality sparkling wines. If you see the word "charmat" it means the secondary fermentation happened in a large tank, usually an indicator of a lesser quality wine.