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Food and Drink

Pop goes the prosecco

Champagne producers love to remind us that all champagne is sparkling wine - but not all sparkling wine is champagne. Now Italian sparkling wine growers in the Prosecco zone, in the hills to the north of Venice, have a story of their own to tell.

If you are unaware, Italy's popular fizz, prosecco, has undergone some significant changes to its production regulations designed to improve its image and propel its top examples into the milieu of bubbles that, while not champagne, are among the best sparkling wines in the world.

Authorities have delineated two prosecco zones. The former Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) zone, which lies in the plains between Friuli and Veneto, has been upgraded to Denominazione di Origine Controllata or DOC status. And the original Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene Superiore DOC zone has become a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or DOCG from the 2009 vintage onwards. Both areas have legislated a reduction in output, but the big benefit to consumers is a more orderly prosecco category by style, quality and price.

Prosecco, the wine, used to be made from prosecco, the grape, but by 2011 anyone residing outside of the DOC/DOCG zone will have to call their grapes glera, a synonym for the prosecco grape, to further tighten the authenticity of the DOCG prosecco shipped out of Italy.

Earlier this spring I spent a couple of days visiting the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG zone and was suitably impressed by the steep sloped vineyards that dominate the landscape.

I learned that under the revised rules members of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Consorzio are touting a number of new "Rive" labels. "Rive" in the local dialect aptly describes the vineyards planted on steep land.

This sub-category produces yet again lower yields, is all hand-harvested and must bear a vintage date. The prestigious Cartizze, the first Rive to be labelled, remains the star of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene production area.

In the coming years, growers expect to exploit scores of unique sites or Rives, each bearing a different name and speaking to a specific terroir that should give rise to a better understanding of prosecco's most prominent subzones and villages.

Not to make too fine a point about position and declination as it pertains to vineyards and grape growing, but there are currently 43 recognised Rives in Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

I know what you are thinking - prosecco is prosecco and girls just want to have fun. But in a world full of sparkling wine, often a place and a producer make all the difference, just ask the c hampenois .

And make sure the next time you reach for prosecco let your adventure begin with the best those labels bearing the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore.

Globally prosecco is normally served as an aperitif, but closer to its home in Italy the Italians see it more as a wine you can serve for any occasion. It's probably good advice, since prosecco does not normally improve in the bottle and should be drunk as soon as possible after it's bottled.

The good news is prosecco is low in alcohol, about 11 to 12 per cent by volume and is more or less defined by its primary aromatic, fresh fruit nuances.

While many bars have taken to using prosecco in mixed drinks, it's more often than not served solo in champagnes flutes to best effect. That said, a drop of cassis in your glass prior to filling it with prosecco can make for a very festive looking Christmas aperitif that tastes great.

In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I wanted to share with you some of the best, entry-level prosecco you can find in British Columbia. They all come with an easy-sipping style that makes them party favourites.

Villa Teresa Prosecco Veneto N/V, $17. Each vintage of this organic sparkler gets cleaner and fresher, even if its vintage designation has given way to that of non-vintage status. The nose is bright and fresh with plenty of green apple fruit and pear flavoured fruit, all with a dusting of almonds. Similar flavours end with a creamy, orange note. A classic party sipper now under a ceramic/metal closure to ensure freshness.

Bottega Treviso Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco Brut N/V, $18. Expect a fresh, zesty, somewhat foamy sparkler with green apple, muscat-y, rose petal, peach skin flavours. Good juicy style with fresh acidity and only a touch of sweetness. Perfect with spicy appetizers.

Mionetto Il Frizzante Moscato delle Venezie N/V $18. A frizzante style prosecco in a nifty blue package sealed with a crown cap this bubble is crisp and juicy with an off-dry palate with only 7 percent alcohol and delicious nectarine, honey, spicy, melon, red apple flavours. A "drink anytime" wine.

Santa Margherita Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene N/V, $21. A bright floral nose with peach skin, earthy, mineral, pear, green apple and quince aromas preview a fresh, off-dry palate with juicy citrus, mineral, earthy, peach pit, pear and nutty flavours. Fun with cheese straw or smoked salmon.

Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Frizzante N/V $21. The is reminiscent of golden delicious apples with mineral streaks. This is the type of prosecco for which the Veneto region is famous and represents the best of the Valdobbiadene. Look for a firm dry mid-palate with similar mineral apple flavours, but only half the bubbles of a full sparkling wine. Perfect with grilled prawns.

Valdo Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Marca Oro N/V, $22. This northeastern Italian fizz, made via the tank method, has a fine foamy mousse with a green apple, citrus, mineral, marzipan nose. The palate is fresh with peachy/apple, nutty flavours with a hint of liquorice and a bit of sweetness in the finish. An elegant, easy-to-sip bubble that works best before dinner, or all afternoon. Try it with tapas-style appetizers.

Bartolomeo Breganze Vespaiolo Prosecco Extra Dry $22. Another softly effervescent sparkler with floral, peachy, nutty, earthy aromas. The attack is fresh, the textures delicate with a bright apple core and pear, peach and perfumed flavours. Try it with air-dried ham or for dessert with panettone.

 

Anthony Gismondi is a globetrotting wine writer who makes his home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. For more of his thoughts on wine log onto www.gismondionwine.com.