Like a first kiss, the first taste of a new style of wine can be incredibly exciting. Recently, many consumers have had this experience when discovering Prosecco, Italy's most famous sparkling wine.
Commonly referred to as fine spumante, this style of specialty sparkler is produced 30 miles north of Venice between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the small hillside province of Treviso.
In general, the engaging effervescent wines from the Prosecco D.O.C region feature lovely pale yellow hues, floral aromas and bright fruity flavors. The first style is the Brut. These wines are known for rich aromas of citrus, a persistent taste on the palate and an average of 15 grams of sugar per liter.
The second style is the Extra Dry. These wines tend to be very aromatic and feature lively notes of pear, apple and fresh citrus. The third style is the Cartizze. The true embodiment of a grand "Cru" Prosecco, this wine is almost exclusively dry and made with fruit grown in a small hillside location near Valdobbiadene. In most cases, it features inviting aromas of apple and pear, flavors of apricot, citrus and a pleasant note of glazed almond on the finish.
Each May, the fashionable new releases of these wines are tasted by producers and special guests at the regional Vino in Villa event at the historic medieval Castle of Saint Salvatore. Over the past five years, this event has spread to the New World with annual tastings in Manhattan and San Francisco.
This past June at Greens Restaurant in San Fran, many sommeliers, myself included, tasted new releases from the 2007 vintage. Among the wines poured were two tasty gems from Bisol, a premium Prosecco producer since 1542.
The first treat was the 2007 Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Spumante Brut "Crede" ($18*). Made with fruit from a small hillside vineyard owned by the Bisol family, this wine contains 85 per cent Prosecco grapes with 10 per cent Pinot Bianco and 5 per cent Verdiso. With a brilliant hue of light straw, the wine features crisp clean flavors of fresh pear, apple and a hint of mineral on the finish. Besides tasting great when served as an aperitif, this lovely wine pairs nicely with pasta, risotto, light fried fish and sushi.
On the higher price scale, the Bisol Valdobbiadene Spumante Superiore di Cartizze ($45) is made with Prosecco grapes cultivated in the micro-zone of Cartizze. This elegant and refined bubbly features aromas of fresh wildflowers, flavors of crisp apple, ripe peach and a long and persistent dry finish that rewards the palate with each sip. Along with tasting lovely by itself, the wine is a fabulous complement to fine asiago or other aged Italian cheeses drizzled with honey or with fruit-based desserts.
The attributes of both these lively wines pair nicely with the lighthearted and highly entertaining comedy Bright Young Things, directed by revered British actor Stephen Fry.
Set in London in the roaring 1920s (and with a jazz soundtrack to match), the film boasts an all-star ensemble cast including Dan Aykroyd, Stockard Channing, Peter O'Toole and James McAvoy, each cast as highly charged characters living life to the fullest and imbibing anything they can get their hands on. 'Nuff said.
*Prices quoted in U.S. dollars
