Posts Tagged ‘Prosecco’
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
 Truth be told here, I had very little experience with Prosecco prior to our trip to Tuscany and Piedmont last summer. THAT changed in a hurry once we were off and running!
Prosecco makes its roots easy to follow, the name given to the wine, the region and the grapes. This versatile and bubbly sparkling wine, native to the Veneto region of Italy, is refreshing, tasty, and fun. The best wines come from Cartizze, a sub-appellation of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene appellation and should be labeled as Superior. These wines tend to be a little more structured and slightly sweeter than others. Fortunately for consumers, these names appear on the label. Prosecco is not a wine meant to compete with Champagne. Whereas Champagne derives its complex flavor and aromatic profile from the chalky soil of the Champagne region and the long autolysis process breaking down the yeasts yielding rich notes of toast, yeast, and lean citrus, Prosecco is more about ripe fresh fruit, sweetness and a lighter overall style. It’s this profile that makes the wine so refreshing and food friendly. Even better, they’re incredibly affordable, most running under $30!
Prosecco has now surpassed the classic Asti Spumante as Italy’s number one exported sparkling wine, the increased popularity a reflection of the improved quality of these wines over the years due to stricter laws. The requirement of authentic Prosecco to be limited in production to northeast Italy and be labeled DOC or DOCG has dramatically reduced the inventory of sub-par wines from other regions of Europe.
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Tags: Asti Spumanti, Champagne, Italy, Prosecco, Sparkling wine, Veneto
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Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
As I was wading my way through the remaining holiday cheese from Venissimo Cheese in San Diego, I thought that I would share the details on some of these delights and wines to pair. You can watch our video series part I and part II with owner Gina Freize.
Fromager d’Affinois:
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Tags: Beaujolais, Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chablis, Champagne, cheese, Moscato d'Asti, Prosecco, Schramsberg, Sherry, Venissimo
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Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
As we were in and out of Rome in two and half days, we knew that we were going to have to hit the road running……..and we did. No sooner had we landed in the bustling city around 9AM, than we grabbed a cab (one of the traditional taxis and not the “gypsy” versions), refreshed at our hotel in the Trastevere section and headed off to the Campo di Fiori and Piazza Navona squares.
From there it was off to the Vatican and then what felt like a forever walk back to the hotel, our bodies now clearly feeling the impact of the overseas travel and jet lag. Knowing that we were fading, yet still hungry, we asked the concierge of our hotel, Le Clarisse, for a nearby fun dinner spot. Without hesitation, he recommended a spot right around the corner, Ristorante La Scala (www.ristorantelascala.it ). After freshening up, we strolled casually to the ristorante, greeted enthusiastically by the staff and seated.
La Scala is situated on a very small, cobblestone street that accommodates a blend of strollers and trucks delivering goods to the local stores. It’s one of those streets that harkens back to an earlier era. With the weather ideal, probably around 80 F, we sat outdoors by a rod iron rail decorated by pots of beautiful late summer flowers. The warm, casual ambiance truly had the feel of Italy.
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Tags: Nero de'Avola, Prosecco, Ristorante La Scala, Rome, wine and food pairing
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Monday, December 6th, 2010
With the core of the holiday season fast approaching (already here if you celebrate Chanukah), Sparkling wine (Champagne if produced in the namesake region using Champagne harvested grapes of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier only) will be flowing freely. While you might think of bubbly for celebration only, it’s ironic that the frothy and fizzy wine pairs with food more easily than most still reds and whites. This flexibility is due to multiple factors. They are often lower in alcohol than still wines ( 5-7%), have more acidity which keeps the wine lively and refreshing and they’re produced in a very wide range of styles from light gold to rose. The level of sweetness can vary as can the origin of the sparkling wine, resulting in wines with even further diversity. Sparkling wine is produced in many regions around the world from the United States, Spain (Cava), Italy (Prosecco and Brachetto d’Acqui), Samur in the Loire Valley (sparkling Vouvray), Germany and Austria (Sekt) and even Russia. In addition, the classic Champagne or sparkling wine can be assembled from any of three grapes or a blend: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, offering still further combinations. The latter grape, while not a household name, is a dark grape that lends acidity and aromatics to the wine and as such is widely used in blending.
The lighter lemony and golden colored sparkling wines have their origin in the Chardonnay grape. The expression “blanc de blancs” (translated white from white reflecting white juice from a white grape) on the front label designates that the wine has been produced exclusively from the Chardonnay grape whether it be a Champagne or other sparkling wine. These wines tend to work well with a range of food styles and preparations from caviar and shellfish such as clams, mussels, oysters and sushi to a rich and creamy dish such as a foie gras pate and lobster in a butter or cream sauce. It also wipes the palate clean when paired with oily fried foods. Salads are a great match with sparkling wine, especially with an acid driven citrusy dressing. The Italian version, Prosecco, and Spanish style, Cava, tend to be very light, low in alcohol and acid driven, working well with aperitifs.
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Tags: Brachetto d'Acqui, cava, Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, Prosecco, sekt, Sparkling Vouvray, Sparkling wine
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Monday, December 6th, 2010
OK…..let’s make this easy……….sparkling wine is any wine that bubbles and froths when poured into a glass. The bubbles we so enjoy emanate from a carbon dioxide build up in the bottle under pressure and dissolved in the wine. If the wine is designated as Champagne, it must, by French law derive from the Champagne region and resource only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes depending upon the style.
While the gold standard of sparkling wine is Champagne from the namesake region of France, many regions throughout the world, including other regions of France, produce excellent sparkling wine. The Samur region of the Loire is renown for its sparkling Vouray from the Chenin Blanc grape. In the United States, sparkling wines are produced in many states with some of the finest deriving from Schramsberg in California (www.schramsberg.com) and Gruet from our next door neighbor New Mexico (www.gruetwinery.com). Spain produces Cava, it’s version of sparkling wine from non-Champagne grapes while Italy boasts Prosecco and Brachetto d'Acqui, Asti and Lambrusco and Australia, Sparkling Shiraz. Germany and Austria produce their version (Sekt) and even Russia produces a “Soviet Sparkling wine.”
Sparkling wine can be bottled as either vintage or non-vintage. The latter represents the majority of the wine produced and is predominated by a base of current vintage blended with some prior vintage wine. While the "blanc de blancs" (white juice from white grapes) is always 100% Chardonnay (be it Champagne or sparkling wine), the "blanc de noirs" (white juice from from black grapes) version is a bit more fuzzy. If designated as Champagne, the wine must contain only the pressed juices from Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier grapes. If designated as sparking wine, it may contain some Chardonnay. This diversity in production style results in a wines that may display nearly any color, depending upon the grape used and contact of juices with the skins (in the case of reds). Most commonly, the wine is light golden or pink (Rose) but can be red as with Bourgogne Mousseux or sparkling Shiraz. The level of sweetness can vary as can the alcoholic strength and even degree of fizziness. According to EU regulations, the level of sweetness on any EU wine must be displayed on the label. Those produced outside of the region are not subject to the regulations.
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Tags: Asti, cava, Champagne, fermentation, lambrusco, lees, Loire, Prosecco, riddling, Samur, sekt, sparkling shiraz, Sparkling wine
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Saturday, October 16th, 2010
We cornered Pat Connors, owner of Pastiche (www.pasticheme.com) recently, to ask him and his staff to suggest a couple of their signature dishes with wines to pair. After all they know the style of preparation from spices, to sauces and cooking style (you can learn more about these important wine and food pairing strategies by clicking for Part I and Part II).
With so many dishes on the menu and a large selection of wines both from his wine list and his retail wine store, we figured that we would let the experts do the choosing. As well, this will make it easier for you ahead of your visit.
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Tags: Filet Mignon, Pastiche, Prosecco, Seabass, Shiraz
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Monday, August 30th, 2010
As we close out the summer season with the traditional Labor Day weekend, palates turn to barbecued dishes, seafood and dips. I’m not yet certain where we’ll fit into this scenario but it’s safe to assume that some of my time will be spent over the hot grill. With some extra time off, many of us will be afforded the opportunity to celebrate from afternoon to evening over the long holiday weekend. That, in turn, opens the door to enjoying food and wine from afternoon right into the evening.
If you launch your festivities during the hot afternoon, lighter fare and lighter wines are a great place to start. For me, I love the idea of some cold, peeled large shrimp. We mix up a spicy cocktail sauce with horseradish, cilantro and just a touch of fresh lemon juice. Some freshly cut vegetables to pair with humus is a great accompaniment. And of course, how could you not display a large bowl of festive and colorful chips with salsa and guacamole? We picked up some smoked Hatch New Mexico chilies last week and I’m sure to be dicing them up in the salsa…….hmmm.
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Tags: Albarino, California Cab, Chablis, Champagne, Chardonnay, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Prosecco, Ribera del Duero, Riesling, Rioja, Sauvignon Blanc, Schramsberg, Sparkling wine, Syrah, Zinfandel
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Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
We were invited, recently, to dinner at friend's home where the "main event" was a Louisiana Seafood Gumbo. I love gumbos with their hearty medley of vegetables surrounding the key player whether it be seafood,chicken or sausage. As I reviewed the ingredients (posted on the Recipe Book) of vegetables and shrimp, I began to narrow down some choices for wine. Another guest shared with me that he was bringing a couple of Rieslings which, as it turned out, were just perfect. The Josef Rosch Rheingau 2007 Leiweiner Klostergarten, Riesling, Kabinett paired beautifully with the gumbo while the Erben von Beulwitz Rheingau 2007 Kaseler Nies’chen, Riesling, Spätlese, ‘Old Vines’, GoldCap melted with the fruit tart desert.
While I knew that Rieslings would work, I wanted some input from a chef with New Orleans cuisine experience. Fortunately, we're lucky to have chef and owner of Jonathan's Cork, Jonathan Landeen, in our backyard. Jonathan had the privilege of training with renown New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme. One of his personal favorites is a Prosecco, an Italian slightly fizzy and refreshing Sparkling Wine. These will refresh the palate, especially if the gumbo is spiced up. They tend to be a little less fruity and bubbly than their American counterparts such as the Schramsberg Mirabelle and tend to be very cost affordable, this one running in the mid teens (while I forget the producer, it's hard to go wrong here). One tip.....don't let anyone convince you to spend more than $20 on a Prosecco. Jonathan also enjoys a Riesling with just a touch of sweetness. I opted for the Dr. Loosen "L" 2008. There's a definte trend here and that's a wine with zippy acidity. He also volunteered that if a red was called for, I could give a shot at a Zinfandel with its deep fruits and spice. I brought a 2007 Seghesio but we never got to it. In the end, the dinner was a smashing success and wines did what they were supposed to do..............refresh the palate and keep us comin' back for more gumbo. Check out the Recipe Book. The recipe is a little elaborate but worth the effort.
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Tags: Prosecco, Riesling, Seafood Gumbo, Zinfandel
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Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
To refer to an “alternative” Italian white is, to be succinct, to refer to all whites. Unlike calling the Nebbiolo or Sangiovese a primary grape, it is nearly impossible to call one white grape a primary standout and the rest secondary. That being the case, let’s review some of the more prominent whites and of course, food groups to pair.
Asti Spumante: today shortened to Asti, is derived from the Moscato Bianco or white Muscat grape. The wine from the grape can range from somewhat light to sweet and sparkling and low in alcohol (usually less than 8%). Being light and refreshing, it’s not surprising that the wine works well with desserts such as cookies (biscotti for paired regionality), fruit based desserts and mousses and meringues. As most of these wines tend to be quite ordinary, I would check with your local retailer for choices.
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Tags: Asti Spumante, Falanghina, Frascati, Galestro, Gavi, Greco Di Tufo, Orvieto, Pinot Bianco, Prosecco, Soave, Tocai Friulano, Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Vermentino, Vernaccia
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