Light and fresh sparkling wine, Prosecco is always very popular as an aperitif or for a festive moment. It must be said that its numerous variations appeal to the greatest number of people. Let's discover Prosecco , this Italian sparkling wine that will be the talk of the town this summer.
The origins of Prosecco
If you like to open a good bottle of Prosecco , for an aperitif or for a cocktail, you may have already wondered where it comes from. Prosecco is simply an area of sparkling wine production, located in Italy. Spread over more than 25,000 hectares of vines , the vineyards are located mainly in the north of the country, near Venice .
If it is so successful today, it is mainly thanks to the Spritz, of which it is the major ingredient, along with the Apérol. The consumption of Prosecco has then become democratized, and many enjoy drinking a glass of Prosecco Brut, or a Prosecco-based cocktail.
Champagne and Prosecco: what are the differences?
When looking at a bottle of Prosecco, one would be tempted to confuse it with a glass of Champagne. However, the winemaking method is not the same, and neither is the taste. Indeed, Italian sparkling wine is the result of a less complex technique than French sparkling wine, but also less expensive and less time-consuming.
Prosecco is therefore made using the Charmat method . In other words, the second fermentation is carried out in a closed vat, unlike the Champagne method, which carries out the second fermentation in the bottle. Ultimately, on the palate, the Prosecco is a little less refined, but the bubbles are more pronounced. We then distinguish 2 types of Prosecco :
- Prosecco Frizzante , which falls into the category of sparkling wine;
- Prosecco Spumante , which is a sparkling wine.
Good to know: the best Proseccos are made using the Champagne method, like Prosecco Frizzante.
How to choose a bottle of Prosecco?
To select the best Proseccos , several criteria must be checked when purchasing from a wine merchant, in an online wine store, or even in a supermarket.
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The appellation: the province of Treviso, the main producer of Prosecco, is a wine region classified as DOCG (denomination of origin controlled and guaranteed), the equivalent of our French AOC. A Prosecco DOCG is therefore a safe bet, and more particularly wines from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene appellation;
- Price: as with conventional wines from France and around the world, Prosecco prices can range from single to double. It essentially depends on the production area. Thus, certain lowland vineyards, with very high yields, can afford to offer bottles of Prosecco at a low price. Others, in hilly areas, have lower yields, but of better quality, which explains the higher prices per liter;
- Taste: there are several varieties of Prosecco , and each is distinguished by its residual sugar level. Prosecco brut is a dry wine with little sugar, while Prosecco Extra-dry is sweeter (12 to 15 grams of sugar per liter). Even sweeter, dry Prosecco can be compared to a sweet wine;
- The style: Prosecco spumante and Prosecco frizzante offer different styles. The first is fresh and easy to drink, while the second is more complex.
How to drink Prosecco?
It is entirely possible to drink Prosecco raw . It must then be very cold, with a serving temperature of between 8 and 10°C. But above all, this sparkling wine serves as a base for many tasty cocktails:
- The Prosecco-based Spritz cocktail : this mixture of Aperol, Prosecco and sparkling water is the most fashionable Italian cocktail of the moment;
- The Negroni Sbagliato : this cocktail made with Prosecco, bitters and red vermouth is rather strong;
- Prosecco Mimosa : this fresh and tasty drink consists simply of Prosecco and orange juice;
- The Bellini : this drink made from peach puree and Prosecco is an Italian cocktail with sparkling and tasty bubbles.
With the arrival of summer, will you be enjoying a nice, fresh and tasty cocktail? So to treat yourself, don't hesitate to test our Prosecco recipes , and discover this Italian sparkling wine that seduces all taste buds every summer.
