SA Connoisseur - Issue 287, Summer 2021

Page 38

#FlauntYourSparkle A closer look at Italian way of life and two wines that embody La vita è bella

Taking Notes

from The Italians

I

talians celebrate certain joyous aspects of life, such as spending time with family and friends, eating and drinking well and, of course, enjoying beauty in all its forms. Above all, the Italian lifestyle and culture prioritize family and friends over work and to-do lists. Sounds about right, don't you think? It’s all about surrounding yourself with people you love and taking the time to enjoy the simple things. One of the many daily habits of Italians is the ritual of the aperitivo which means ‘to open the stomach’ in anticipation of the coming meal. Another wonderful Italian ritual? Those long, lazy lunches or dinners with many tasty local dishes and fine wines. Speaking of fine wines, did you know that wine has been made in Italy for at least 4000 years? In fact, the Greeks named the country Oenotria, or “the land of wine”. It’s no wonder wine plays an intrinsic part of Italian culture. Today’s Italian wines have been shaped by thousands of years of history and local wineries benefit both from inherited and learned experience. By combining knowledge passed down through generations with today’s cutting-edge technologies, Italy is able to produce some of the most delicious wines in the world. The majority of Italian sparkling wines come from the region of Veneto where approximately 18% of sparkling and still wines are of DOC classification. Most sparkling wines are made as Spumante sparkling wine (approx. 4-6 bar pressure) or Frizzante (approx. 2.5 bar pressure). To be a Prosecco DOC or DOCG means that at least 85% of the wine is made from the local Veneto Glera grape. Italian sparkling wines are mostly produced by the Charmat - Martinotti method, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks rather than in each individual bottle. This method preserves the crisp flavour profile, fragrance and character of the Glera grape making it a perfect companion for lunch, picnic and aperitivo.

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