One of the most popular wines in Italy is Prosecco. This sparkling drink is famous for its pleasant refreshing taste and affordable. The combination of these two significant factors makes Italian champagne prosecco suitable for a special occasion and for a picnic in nature.
Originally from ancient Rome
This drink has a rich history. Even in ancient Rome, it was successfully produced and enjoyed with pleasure, the raw material for which was the grapes of the Glera variety. A refreshing drink with a fruity aroma and a moderate strength the Romans called Pucchino. Unlike the modern analogue, it was not sparkling, but was appreciated for its excellent refreshment in the summer heat.
Today, thanks to modern technology, Sharma Prosecco is characterized by the presence of gas bubbles. Beloved by Italians, it is one of the important elements of national culture.
Made to enjoy
In the homeland of this drink, in the cities of Valdobiaden and Coneglado, people really know how to enjoy the taste of life, which flows here measuredly and without fuss. Created for pleasure, prosecco is like nothing else a happy personification of the Italian dream: to enjoy simple things carelessly and slowly.
Prosecco - champagne that appeared on the international market much later than its eminent fellow from French Champagne. Only in the 60s of the last century they heard about him outside of Italy. The combination of excellent taste and reasonable cost instantly made this wine popular. Now prosecco is produced not only in Italy, but also in Brazil, Argentina, Romania and even in Australia.
Prosecco - champagne for the people
Currently, Glera grapes are used to produce this dry wine , but Bianchetta, Verdiso and Perera are also used. The most valuable is considered prosecco made from raw materials grown in the town of Kartitstse. The vines here ripen at an altitude of 1000 meters above sea level, and the period for filling the vines is longer. This allows you to get an extraordinary taste of the drink, which is considered the best prosecco in the world. However, it is worth noting that its cost is relatively low.
This explains the incredible popularity of Prosecco. Champagne, the price of which starts at 40 euros per bottle, can hardly be called an affordable drink for public consumption. The technology of its manufacture is quite complex and lengthy. The price of prosecco fluctuates around 10-15 euros per bottle.
So similar and so different
These drinks are really similar, and a simple layman will not even be able to accurately indicate in which glass prosecco is located. Champagne in the classical sense has very significant differences, which are due to the peculiarities of its production.
Real Reims champagne is made using Methode Champenoise technology, which means carbonation of the drink with carbon dioxide as a result of secondary fermentation. It is carried out directly in bottles, which are located horizontally. The carbonation process lasts at least 9 months. This is reflected in the cost of champagne, which many consider high. The difference in manufacturing technology is not the only difference between champagne and prosecco. The aroma of French sparkling wine contains notes of biscuit, almond, citrus, peach and cherry. Champagne bubbles are sharper and more stable.
The process of manufacturing prosecco is based on the Sharma method, when secondary fermentation takes place in a sealed container. Wine saturated with carbon dioxide is bottled. This drink is good for young people, because after 2 years of storage it begins to lose its original properties. The presence of plentiful foam is more typical for prosecco, champagne is usually characterized by moderate foaming. Bubbles of Italian wine are less stable, and the aroma reads notes of exotic fruits, green apple, honeysuckle, pears and creamy nuances.
Varieties of Prosecco
For those who are facing a dilemma: Prosecco - champagne, the price is one of the most striking and weighty arguments in favor of Italian wine. At the moment, in Europe, this affordable drink breaks all records of popularity among people of different ages and social status.
Prosecco is divided into several types according to sugar content. It can be extra-dry (from 12 g / l) and dry (from 20 g / l). A separate type is Prosecco Brut champagne, the sugar content of which is 15 g / l. Today, brut is a rather well-promoted brand among wine lovers and connoisseurs. The famous company Martini produces an elite drink of this type, the cost of which cannot be called affordable. Experts say that this is not the best brut, and the fabulous price is due to the big name of the manufacturer and the skillful marketing company of the drink.
Features of Prosecco species
In total, several types of prosecco are distinguished, depending on its features.
- Tranquille, which means "calm." This wine of the middle price category is the least sparkling, and the volume of its production is very small - only 5% of all Italian prosecco.
- Spumante is a full-fledged brut, which is re-fermented at a pressure of 3 atmospheres. Its cost is also at an average level.
- Frizzante is a kind of compromise between the two above-mentioned wines, it is exported in small volumes. Its price can be different and directly depends on the grape variety used as raw material.
- Superiore de Cartizze - the highest grade of bruce, which is made from vineyards from the legendary hill of Kartitstse. This Prosecco champagne reviews has the most flattering. Superiore de Cartizze awarded the status of "Grand Cru" - the highest in winemaking.
This information must be indicated on the label and much can tell the consumer about the nature of sparkling wine.
Where do they make real prosecco?
When choosing a bottle with Prosecco, be sure to pay attention not only to the type of wine, but also to the place where it was produced. Today, this drink is rightfully called the one that is made in the Venetto and the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.
One of the popular sparkling wines of excellent quality is the PassaParola Prosecco champagne. This is Brut Spumante from the Veneto region. The pure, elegant and refreshing taste, as well as the fruity-floral aroma of this Prosecco has been awarded the highest international awards. The cost of a PassAparola bottle is in the range of 1,000 rubles, but its quality is much appreciated.
How and with what to serve prosecco?
Like champagne, prosecco is served in flute-shaped glasses. They contribute to the long retention of gas bubbles in the drink. Before serving, Prosecco should be cooled to 8 ° C and offered to guests as an aperitif or as a complement to dishes and desserts.
Due to its light and unobtrusive taste, this dry wine goes well with many dishes, without interrupting their taste and adding new interesting notes to our familiar products.
At celebrations, Prosecco can be served as an aperitif, supplementing it with fruit. Also, this drink is able to keep a good company with fish and seafood. This combination is classic for champagne and sparkling wines.
A family dinner, the main course of which is poultry or game, can also be supplemented with a bottle of prosecco. Fragrant pastries, fruit salads, ice cream and other desserts are perfectly compatible with brut. Due to the moderate sugar content in this wine, the sweetness of such products will not be cloying. Prosecco enriches desserts with a noble fruit and cream aroma, gives spicy sourness.
Prosecco Cocktails
This wine can serve as an excellent base for making cocktails. You can experiment with a variety of fruits, spices, ice cream.
Here are some ideas for creating a special occasion drink:
- For a romantic picnic, you can prepare a cocktail of prosecco with strawberries. To do this, you need ¾ cup of orange juice, 150 g of fragrant berries, a tablespoon of sugar, a couple of mint leaves and wine to taste. In order to get the most out of your cocktail, you will need to prepare in advance and bring along a small portable refrigerator. From strawberries, sugar and orange juice, you need to make mashed potatoes in a blender, and then pass it through a sieve. Take this semi-finished product with you on the nature. Already at the picnic site, place the glasses in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then remove them and put in each 1 or 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree. Top you need to add prosecco to taste and decorate with a leaf of fresh mint.
- Surprise your guests with the incredibly delicious Bellini dessert cocktail. To make it, you need 1.75 liters of prosecco, 4 large ripe peaches and cane sugar to taste. The fruit will need to be peeled and the pulp to be mashed with a blender. Pour sugar into the resulting mass and beat again. Mix the finished mashed potatoes with chilled Prosecco and pour into glasses. When serving, guests can decorate the cocktail with a slice of peach.
Pleasant taste and bewitching fruity and creamy aroma of Prosecco have long been loved by gourmets from around the world. The affordable price of the drink made it one of the most popular wines. The time has come and you should appreciate it.