By Elspeth Brown
I recently met Ms. Champagne during a doctor’s appointment. I had to ask if that was her real name—and it was! I told her that it must be one of the most fabulous names I had ever heard, and I did ask her if she would mind if I legally changed my last name. She informed me that her favorite drink was bubbles, which endeared her to me even more. I also recently reestablished my love affair with bubbles. Maybe I want to feel lighter and more effervescent this year, but I cannot get enough of sparkling wines. They are my go-to porch popper, brunch buddy, appetizer accompaniment and perfect present.
Bubbles are great for so many occasions: housewarmings, baby showers, weddings and a Tuesday night dinner. Prosecco is my best-selling sparkling wine, and the world’s most popular effervescent wine. It sells more bottles than Champagne and Cava combined.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine produced in the Veneto region of Italy and is typically made with Glera grape. The price range is extremely reasonable compared to Champagne. Prosecco was originally the name of the grape and the place where it was produced. But, in 2010, the Prosecco grape was renamed Glera. Glera has to be at least 85 percent of the wine, with other varietals such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir blended in. Prosecco is typically made in the Charmat method. During this process, wine is added to a closed stainless steel tank with sugar and yeast. The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, giving the wine effervescence. Prosecco does not ferment in the bottle, so it does not age. Go ahead and drink up!
While many people think Prosecco has a sweet finish, I would disagree. If you taste Prosecco and Brut Champagne side by side, the Prosecco will taste sweet because the Champagne is bone dry. I feel like many Prosecco producers focus more on bright fruit flavors and less on residual sugar. I typically get ripe pear flavors, crisp apples and sometimes a little citrus. The levels of sweetness of Prosecco, ranging from least to most, are: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Demi-Sec and Dulce. Brut is the most common style of Prosecco in the market. Prosecco is then broken down into two different designations: Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOCG. The DOC designation encompasses a larger area with defined production methods, and the DOCG designation has stricter controls in a smaller region, offering a higher quality level.
Sparkling wines have long been thought of just for New Year’s Eve and special occasions, but as one of the easier wines to pair with so many foods, including seafood, chicken, cheese and potato chips, it is a no brainer at any time. The natural acidity brightens the flavors of food without overshadowing any other flavors. Bubbles are even great with my three favorite styles of food: salty, fatty and fried. The fine, little bubbles clean the richness off your tongue so you are ready for the next bite. So grab a glass of Prosecco next time you are out, and make your life a little more bubbly.
Elspeth Brown is the owner of Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store, 10 C South Main Street in Weaverville. For information, visit MaggieBsWine.com or call 828.645.1111.
