Here's To Champagne Alternatives

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A bottle of bubbly used to mean just one thing, and there is really nothing more celebratory than 'champagne.' But true champagne is by law, a very specific thing –a sparkling wine made exclusively in one area of France named 'Champagne.' Everything else in the world we might call 'champagne' is technically…not – in Spain it's Cava, in Italy Prosecco or Asti for sparkling wines.

But, these days, there are a lot of drinks besides grape-based wines for your festivities – and they're not all alcoholic. Sparkling cider from apples or pears, sparkling cranberry juice which is a nice holiday red, and even fizzy lemonades in fancy bottles.

All kinds of fruits have found their way into bottles of bubbly that make a great hostess gift, a fun way for kids to join the celebration, and an excellent option for designated drivers and former imbibers to enjoy the party and join the toast without clanking a can of soda against everyone else's crystal glass of….champagne.

Reported By Phran Novelli, KYW Newsradio