TASTINGS

La Marca Prosecco Luminore Docg

($25)

NAMED FOR THE MORNING LIGHT ON THE VINES, LUMINORE IS SOURCED FROM THE HILLS OF PROSECCO DOCG. DELICATE AROMAS OF WHITE FLOWERS, PEAR AND NECTARINE. SOFT AND CREAMY, WITH A LIGHT, REFRESHING FINISH.

Made predominantly from a local white grape variety called Glera, Prosecco comes in a range of sweetness, from the driest Brut to medium-sweet Extra Dry and the sweetest “Dry” wines. By popular demand, Prosecco DOC also offers an official Rosé style made from Pinot Noir. It’s a common misperception to think that all Prosecco is sweet. Most Prosecco wines are produced in a dry Brut style; however, Glera is a fruit-forward grape with notes of green apple, honeydew melon, pear and honeysuckle that naturally tastes sweeter than Champagne. Often compared to Champagne, Prosecco is usually made very differently, earning its bubbles through a gentle fermentation process in large stainless steel tanks (versus the traditional bottle fermentation method of Champagne, which is far less common in Prosecco). The popular tank method of making Prosecco debuted at the turn of the 20th century and allows producers to make quality sparkling wine on a large scale. For a more ancestral taste of Prosecco, some producers also offer a “Col Fondo” or pétnat (pétillant naturel) style with traditional fermentation in bottles; the spent yeast leaves a fine residue on the bottom (fondo in Italian), which results in a cloudy appearance with earthy apple, mineral and citrus flavors.

La Marca Prosecco Ros Doc

($18)

PROSECCO ROSÉ FIRST DEBUTED IN 2020. LA MARCA BLENDS 10% TO 15% PINOT NOIR WITH THE LOCAL GLERA VARIETY FOR A LOVELY BLUSH COLOR. CRISP AND SATISFYING, WITH BRIGHT CITRUS AND WILD STRAWBERRY FLAVORS.

CA' DEI ZAGO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO COL FONDO DOCG 2020

($26)

FROM A FIFTH-GENERATION FAMILY WINERY IN THE HEART OF HISTORIC VALDOBBIADENE, THIS IS A BIODYNAMIC WINE MADE IN THE COL FONDO STYLE. LIVELY AND PURE WITH NOTES OF HONEYSUCKLE AND WET STONE.

Claudia Manetta, export manager for La Marca Prosecco, one of Italy’s leading wines, has had a front row seat to watch Prosecco’s meteoric rise. Originally from Bergamo in northern Italy, Manetta relocated to her husband’s hometown in the Veneto to join La Marca, just as things were getting frothy in 2008. Many Italians were also just getting to know Prosecco. “When I moved to Treviso, it was new to me as well to enjoy a spritz as an aperitivo. Prosecco is so friendly and affordable,” Manetta recalls. Just north of Venice, Treviso is an ideal vantage point to discover the region: the nearby towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are home to the best Prosecco DOCG. The rolling hills frame a picturesque landscape worthy of a Renaissance painting; they also create the exposure, microclimates and mineral-rich terrain that distinguish Prosecco DOCG (handpicked from steep, sloping vineyards) from Prosecco DOC (grown on the valley floor).

Like many Prosecco producers, La Marca has a foothold in both growing areas and makes a range of wine, including its iconic

Snake River Farms Wagyu Hanger

Tender, full of flavor, and found on our menu of fine steaks