PROSECCO: ITALY’S BUBBLY TREAT

This sparkling sipper is perfect for any party–but also for simply enjoying alongside a meal

By Martha Chapman

“By the end of the week, you will be very picky about your Prosecco,” our gracious tour leader Vania assured us.

I thought I already knew pretty much all you needed to know about Prosecco–that it’s the famous Italian sparkling wine and an affordable alternative to its expensive French cousin, Champagne. That Prosecco still lends a sense of occasion and is ideal for a toast, especially when served in a Champagne flute.

Well, I was partly right. Harvested in some 20,000 hilly hectares of the Veneto region an hour north of Venice, Prosecco is indeed an approachable wine–and, as our group learned, fine to drink throughout a meal and not just as a toast.

My vacation to this region was enhanced by the fact that we stayed in the charming town of Pieve de Soligo, just a half hour from the lovely small city of Treviso. Dating back to biblical times, Treviso features an achingly picturesque walled city centre and a smile-inducing claim to fame: It’s where the rich dessert tiramisu was invented. Translated as “pick me up” tiramisu is reputed to have aphrodisiacal effects.

Our weeklong Walking the Prosecco Hills tour included two official (and numerous unofficial) tastings during which we learned that true Proseccos must comprise a minimum of 85 per cent Glera grapes, while the other 15 per cent can contain other wines such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.

There are also two categories of Prosecco: the superior and costlier wine rated DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita–controlled and guaranteed designation of origin); and DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), the more affordable and plentiful version.

When it comes to those quintessential bubbles, there are two kinds: Spumante (sparkling) and the less-expensive Frizzante (semi-sparkling). The locals can be quite snooty about their bubbles: I heard more than one Italian call over-bubbly vino “Coca Cola wine!” There’s even a still Prosecco (Tranquilo), fairly rare. Plus there are levels of sweetness, from Dry–the sweetest –through Extra Dry, then to Brut, to the driest: Extra Brut.

At the tastings, my brain got a little cloudy not just with the wine but with Ven diagrams of types of Prosecco. Just as well that our group, mainly Brits, were congenial wine non-snobs interested in mixing fun with a bit of learning on their holiday.

Also on the fun side, we learned that Prosecco is the base for some popular cocktails including Bellinis (add peach juice) and the ever-trendy Aperol spritz (the orange-hued aperitif of Aperol and club soda).

Most interesting of all, Italians don’t drink their Prosecco in Champagne flutes but in conventional wine glasses. “Better because you can perceive the aromas,” sommelier Lisa Montesel told us. Plus it’s popular to drink while dining, not just as an aperitif.

When I returned home to Canada, I checked out the prices of Prosecco at Ontario’s LCBO. The three DOCs available at my local liquor store (Zonin, La Marca and Il Fresco) cost around $18. A Valdobbiadene DOCG will set you back just $20. Meanwhile, a nearby bottle of French Veuve Clicquot Champagne was going for an eye-watering $84.

Back in the town of Pieve di Soligo, where our walking and sipping tour was based, it was 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning. With the streets cordoned off for a bike race, the locals, along with kids and dogs, settled into sidewalk cafés to cheer on the athletes. Glasses of Prosecco glistened in the sun and conversation flowed. Just another occasion for enjoying Italy’s sparkling treasure.

Martha Chapman travelled with Exodustravels.com.