Prosecco – The Sparkling Wine of Choice
Over the last year or so, Prosecco has emerged as the most popular sparkling wine in our range. Champagne sales have undestandably been lower in the current economic climate and Cava has fallen away to be overtaken by Prosecco. So where does Porsecco come from, how is it made and what is its appeal?

Prosecco is the name of a grape variety as well as the region where the wine is made. The vineyards are situated in the hills around the town of Trevisio in northern Italy to the north of Venice. The grape has subtle flavours and is protected from the heat by the mist that often forms in the hills.
The wine is made using the Charmat method, where secondary fermentation occurs in large tanks rather than in bottle. This is a much less labour intensive method and along with the high yielding crops maintains Prosecco at an affordable price.
The wine is produced either as the fully sparkling Spumante or the semi-sparkling Frizzante where the bottle may be sealed with cork and a traditional string, our Mionetto Prosecco di Viadbbiadene Frizzante being a classic example. Viadbbiadene is considered to be the premium area for the production of Prosecco and the wines from here are considered superior.
Prosecco typically has a soft, creamy texture with apple flavours. Its restrained acidity makes it very palatable and whilst quality certainly varies, it is mostly acceptable. It does not have the complexity and richness to rival the great sparkling wines of the world, but is an ideal light sparkling wine with an almost universal appeal.
Prosecco is particularly suitable for parties and weddings where it can fit the budget and have general appeal satisfying most guests.. My own preference is to treat it like the restaurants of Venice, where a glass is served as an aperitif whilst the diners consider the menu. A perfect way to start the evening.