Do you prefer everything delicious, including alcoholic drinks? Puzzling over an original high quality gift for a man or woman? Prosecco wine is the most worthy candidate!
Like a ferrari or spaghetti, prosecco is one of the famous and successful symbols of sunny Italy. Its distinctive feature from other dry, fizzy or sparkling wines has long been a more aromatic taste and an attractive price. According to some experts, even the famous French champagne is inferior here. What is prosecco and how to choose it correctly?
Prosecco wine at a glance
Prosecco has been known since the 13th century, but gained particular success only at the beginning of the 20th century. It was originally a sweet wine. Until the 1960s. After that, the prosecco production technology was completely revised. Now it began to refer to dry sparkling wines. Such a move only increased the interest of buyers in this variety. Its popularity is still relevant today. Today this drink is produced in the amount of about 150 million bottles a year.
Prosecco was originally sweet, but today the most successful dry wines are produced – Dry, Extra Dry, Brut
Prosecco, or prosecco, is native to northeastern Italy. Distilleries are located in two regions of the country – Venice and Friuli Venezia Giulia. It is here that the famous Glera grape variety grows. It forms the basis (85%) of Prosecco sparkling wines that are equally famous and popular around the world. The secondary components that can be added to prosecco include grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Verdiso, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Nero, Perera, Pinot Grigio, Bianchetta, as well as pears, citrus fruits, apples, and exotic fruits.
Where is prosecco home? Wine regions of Italy
The name Prosecco is protected by laws not only in Italy, but also in other countries. Its use is strictly controlled by the relevant authorities. Therefore, the word 'prosecco' can only be found on the labels of producers from the DOC and DOCG wine zones.
Prosecco DOC is considered a less prestigious area in comparison with the other two wine-growing areas in Italy. But it significantly surpasses them in its area. Vineyards grow mainly on the plain, in a temperate climate. Prosecco DOC can be sparkling (i.e. spumante), frizzy frizzante, or quiet (Tranquillo). The latter makes up only about 5% of all production and is very rarely exported. Spumante is the most popular and well-known variety. The less carbonated frizzante is distinguished from the competition by a lighter taste.
Prosecco Superiore DOCG – Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCGs are produced only near the city of Treviso. These wines are famous all over the world for their unsurpassed taste and quality. The front label reads Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore or Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG. This indicates the place of origin of the raw materials. Most of the grapes for Prosecco DOC are grown in the plains. While the production of Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG uses raw materials exclusively from the Valdobbiadene hills. Another feature of the latter is the manual harvest of grapes, which only improves the quality of the prosecco.
The label with the inscription Superiore di Cartizze says that the bottle contains wine from the world famous Cartizze hill. Attention, this is the best prosecco in existence! Therefore, do not hesitate for a long time, because at this time someone can “take away” from under the nose of the precious bottle.
A prosecco bottle with a DOC wine zone indicated on the label will tell a lot not only about the homeland, but also about the quality of the selected wine.
Cartizze is the finest prosecco! It harmoniously combines sweetness and subtle bitterness.
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG – considered the best of prosecco
If on the bottle next to 'Conegliano Valdobbiadene – Prosecco' there is the word 'Rive', it means that all the raw materials were taken from one vineyard to make the drink. Additionally, the manufacturer can indicate the name of the village, near which the vines grow.
How to choose prosecco?
Today the brand is recognized as one of the best and most sophisticated in the world. Many people choose prosecco as a substitute for more expensive champagne from France. Believe me, the quality of the 'Italian' is no worse than the eminent rival! Moreover, prosecco contains on average 25% sugar versus only 17-20% in a drink made from French Champagne. It is this seemingly insignificant difference that makes Italian sparkling wine stand out. Prosecco, born much south of the Champagne region, has a more pleasant and aromatic taste.
Prosecco differs from champagne in a lower proportion of carbonation and pressure in the bottle, which makes its bubbles lighter and the taste brighter.
Dry or sweet wine?
According to the sugar concentration, sparkling prosecco is divided into 3 types:
- Dry, or Dry (17-32 g / l);
- Extra Dry, or Extra Dry (12-17 g / l);
- Brut, or Brut (up to 12 g / l).
Extra Dry is the most popular prosecco in Italy. However, brut is favored by the world interest.
What about sparkling wines?
Sparkling wines are also produced in Italy. Among them:
- Secco – rather related to semi-dry wines;
- Amabile – have a semi-sweet taste.
Prosecco is perfect as a gift for a man or woman on a holiday, birthday or official celebration.
Otherwise, the choice of wine is a matter of individual preference. Try it! This is the only way to determine the variety that best suits your taste.
Tips for consuming prosecco
The list of the most popular prosecco manufacturers today includes Bisol, Nino Franco, Zardetto, Carpene Malvolti and others. Experts advise serving the drink with cheeses, snacks, dried ham, fish and seafood dishes. Like champagne, Prosecco is recommended to be drunk chilled to 6-8 degrees from elongated glasses, traditional for sparkling wines.
Prosecco goes well with cheese, cured ham, fish and seafood, as well as dessert
Wine can be used as an independent alcoholic drink, as an aperitif, as well as in cocktails. A classic among the latter is 'Bellini', which remains common in Italy today. Here is the original recipe for this famous Venetian cocktail:
- Pour ice into a shaker, add one part of peach puree there.
- Fill the contents with three parts of prosecco. If the wine is dry and has a sour taste, add a few more tablespoons of sugar syrup to taste.
- Mix the ingredients in a shaker, strain, pour into glasses.
Bellini made of peach puree, prosecco and ice is considered a classic among cocktails
The Bellini cocktail is traditionally drunk cold.
Finally
An alcoholic drink of such an exquisite aroma and high quality as prosecco will become a worthy gift for a birthday or anniversary, it is relevant for a New Year's presentation, and will pleasantly surprise the fair sex on March 8, easily decorate Valentine's Day and even February 23 with its refined taste. Men traditionally prefer dry wine or brut. For the fair sex, it is better to choose a sparkling drink with a softer and sweeter taste. Try wines from different producers, sorting out and giving preference to the best of them. If you are afraid to buy a low-quality product, stop at solutions made exclusively in Italy. The main thing is that the winemaking zone (DOC or DOCG) is indicated on the label. And don't forget about the price-performance ratio. After all, the higher the cost of wine, the better it is.
Share your impressions. Looking forward to your comments! And buon appetito!
