Bubbling along with Prosecco
Guess what today is: National Prosecco day. And, it’s about time. When people think of sparkling wines, they always go straight to champagne. But, that is usually a misnomer. As many people know, Champagne refers to wine from a specific region in France. Champagne became famous for sparkling wines because they were the first to make it commercially available. And, they perfected the methode champenoise. The marketing and expertise of French champagne makers helped it become a household name like Kleenex , Jacuzzi, Xerox, or google. In order to earn the name champagne, it has to come from the Champagne region of France. This, of course, means that anything not from there is not champagne. Big deal! There are plenty of bubbly wines out there, from all regions of the world. And, Italy has been bubbling along with prosecco since the end of WWII.
To make Prosecco its own unique entity and differentiate it from Champagne, The Italians took a couple measures. First, the primary grape in Prosecco is Glera, as opposed to Chardonnay and pinot noir in champagne. This grape has a high acidity and evocative flavors of melon, pear, and peaches. The result is a light to medium bodied wine with alcohol levels between 8.5% and 12.5%.
Table of Contents
Bubbling along with Prosecco by different methods.
The other major difference is the method of creating the bubbles. The traditional method used to make champagne is a labor intensive process where yeast and sugar are added to bottles of still wine. The bottles need to be “riddled” (turned periodically) and then have the sediment removed, and then re-cork the bottles individually. The Italians saw a great way to save labor by doing the secondary fermentation that creates carbonation in vats, then transfer to bottles. This method has several names. But, the Italians call it autoclave. It is cheaper, faster, and requires less labor. And, that shows in the price. Most proseccos are available for a fraction of the cost of champagnes.
Although some still wines come from the prosecco region, most are bubbly. There are 2 major classifications for bubbles: Frizzante and Spumante. The first is slightly carbonated, while the second is heavily carbonated and competes with champagne.
Of course, as with Champagne, true prosecco comes from the northeast region of Italy. There are all sorts of regulations and classifications. The most notable is a DOC or DOCG on the label. They stand for Denominazione d’Origine Controllata (DOC) and Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). These are your assurance that the prosecco you are drinking comes from one of 9 provinces in the region. They will usually tell you which province on the label as well. In addition you may see the classification Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore Prosecco DOCG. This hilly region has winemaking roots dating back to the Roman empire.
A wine by any other name…
But, there is a little schism going on now. Over the years, some Italians have moved to Australia. They brought their viticulture to the Island nation: and, have been selling prosecco made in Australia. they claim that it is the grape variety and method that classifies the wine. They assert that prosecco is the name of the variety, sort of like Chardonnay. I’m not sure where the legal battles stand at the moment. But, someone may be changing the wording on their labels before long. They may have to call it prosecco style or something to that effect. Time will tell.
But, don’t worry if you have trouble telling the difference between Australian and Italian prosecco. It’s not like we’re all wine experts. As mentioned in the beginning of this article, there are plenty of good bubbles in the world. Prosecco just happens to be the bubble du jour. But, if you are having Italian food, prosecco is a perfect accompaniment. While Italians are most known for their big bold reds, this light sparkler is a nice departure that shows the versatility of thye Italian palate. It’s not all red sauce and red wine. Remember, Italy is surrounded on 3 sides by water. There is a lot of seafood and lighter fare that calls for a lighter wine. Tonight, let it be prosecco.
How to keep bubbling along with Prosecco:
Like Champagne, Prosecco is great just out of the bottle. It is a celebratory wine. But, there is so much more to do with it. How about an apperol spritz? Or, maybe mimosas are more your thing? Add sparkle to any drink you want: How about a mango martini sparkler or Sloe Gin Fizz?
And, of course, you can cook with it. Although, you will lose the bubbles in the cooking process. Try this melon soup. Or, you can work it into a dessert. How about a prosecco float with Lemon sorbet?
So, here is a recipe to get this party started:
Prosecco Kir Royale
Ingredients
- 1 bottle Prosecco
- 4 oz Chambord
- 1/2 cup Lemon simple syrup (optional)
- 4 each lemon twists (optional)
- Raspberries or red currants for garnish
Instructions
- Make lemon simple syrup ahead of time: 2 oz sugar and 1/2 cup water boiled. Add 1 oz lemon juice.
- Pour prosecco in a Pitcher. Add Chambord and optional syrup. Stir once. Pour into glasses and garnish. Drink and enjoy. Repeat.