Take-aways from a week of glorious Prosecco DOCG (#ItalianFWT)

Home at last!

Road construction, traffic tie-ups and now a UPS door tag reminded me I had missed the initial delivery of Prosecco DOCG for the next Italian Food, Wine and Travel (#Italian FWT) chat on July 6. Ugh!

No worries – UPS would be back. Time to settle into the comfy chair, tune into an old episode of The Great British Baking Show and relaaaaaax. 

I watched as Paul Hollywood rolled out Italian olive breadsticks and saved a portion of the dough for focaccia. Pairing ideas were starting to bubble up. Now all I needed was that delivery!

Sure enough, the next day brought the UPS truck and a trio of sparkling wines from the Consorzio of Prosecco Superiore DOCG.

Over the course of a week, the spouse and I tasted and paired, and discovered the nuances of these varied wines. What a treat – and what a generous sampling from the Consorzio via Liz of What’s in That Bottle? Grazie mille!

Here are the take-aways from a week of savoring glorious Prosecco DOCG (please note that while the wines for this post were provided, opinions are my own):

1. There is Prosecco and then there’s Prosecco DOCG.
   Before this delivery of wines arrived at my door, I was buying Prosecco – that is, Prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). All Prosecco is made in the Friuli and Veneto provinces of northeastern Italy from the fruity and relatively high-acid Glera grape. Prosecco DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controlla e Garantita) is produced exclusively by 15 municipalities in the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene (green area on map). Steep slopes in this region demand hand harvesting, and winemaking is scrupulously controlled. That means higher quality wine.
2. The region is moving toward sustainable agriculture.
   According to the Consorzio, the objective is “to gradually eliminate practices and chemicals that are considered to have too great an impact on the environment and promote instead types of agriculture that are as non-invasive as possible.”
3. Prosecco Superiore DOCG offers a range of styles.
   Some are rich and creamy. Some are light, bright and fruity. Some have residual sugar, and some are bone dry. A small amount of Conegliano Valdobbiadene is also produced in frizzante (semi-sparkling) and tranquillo (still) styles. In these cases, the adjective “Superiore” is not used after “Prosecco.”
4. The wines are relatively low in alcohol.
   I don’t know about you, but I appreciate low-alcohol wines. These wines typically have 11-11.5% alcohol levels. 
5. Reasonably priced, these wines will steal your heart, but not your wallet.
   Yes, these Prosecco DOCG wines may be slightly more expensive than Prosecco DOC. But at $22 or $23 a bottle, they’re still reasonably priced – and what quality! Totally worth it. 
6. They are easy to pair.
   The best pairing is often the simplest: focaccia (thank you, Paul Hollywood!), cheese and olives. I bought a local Thom’s Bread focaccia baked with thyme, basil, oregano, black pepper and sea salt. The Italian cheese from Sardinia was new to me: a mild and slightly herby sheep’s milk Brigante with rosemary. Yum!

The wines

2018 Bortolin Angelo Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Extra Dry Spumanti)
The Bortolin Angelo spends 30 to 40 days aging sur lie (French for the yeasty sediment that results from fermentation) in pressurized, stainless steel tanks. This tank or “Charmat” method is commonly used for Prosecco. The “extra dry” (off-dry) version of the Valdobbiadene DOCG we sampled is the most known and consumed, according to the producer. 

• Tasting notes: Pale straw color with foamy fizz. Fruity nose dominated by golden apple. Bright honey and lemon notes on the palate without a trace of tartness. Medium acidity. Long finish. Of the three samples, the Bortolin Angelo was the most like traditional Prosecco, but more refined. Dry, smooth and with a bit of residual sugar, it is easy to drink and pair with most food.
• Suggested pairing: Roasted chicken over wild rice with honey lime sauce, greens. The honey makes this sauce an excellent accompaniment to this Bortolin Angelo. To make the sauce, mix the following ingredients to taste (amounts may vary):

1 tbsp. olive oil
Juice of one lime
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. honey
1 clove garlic
Ginger
Cilantro

Pour over roasted chicken slices and rice. Warm in a microwave before serving. Top with fennel sprigs.

2018 Bellenda San Fermo Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Brut)
San Fermo is the name of the country church adjacent to the vineyard where these grapes are grown. The grapes are grown in limestone-clay soils rich in glacial deposits. After de-stemming and subsequent soft pressing the grapes, the must is gravity-settled and then fermented. The wine matures sur lie from one to three months. The second fermentation occurs in tanks (Charmat method) for about two months.

• Tasting notes: Pale straw color with plenty of fine, vanishing bubbles. Subtle aromas of lemon and apple. Minerality and lemon zest on a dry palate. Tangy, medium+ acidity. Long finish.
• Suggested pairing: Our lemon-pepper salmon and sautéed swiss chard was a hit. Another mild fish or shellfish would do quite nicely, too, for pairing with this dry, tangy San Fermo. 

2017 Malibran Credamora Col Fondo Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG (frizzante)
The fine pearly bubbles in this gently effervescent wine are created col fondo (“with its bottom,” literally, or on its yeasty sediment), rather than in the Charmat method. The wine is not filtered or disgorged. The result is a surprising Prosecco: cloudy, slightly funky, bready. The producer recommends pouring this wine gently into a carafe before serving to remove its natural deposits. With native yeasts and no added sulfur, this col fondo is probably as close to a natural Prosecco as you’ll find.  

• Tasting notes: Pale straw color with delicate, gently rising bubbles. Citrus and apple aromas with a hint of sourdough bread dominate the nose. On the palate, I was reminded of a creamy, lemon meringue pie, even though this col fondo is “extra brut” (no residual sugar). Go figure! I chalk up this note to the creamy mouthfeel and bready, lemony quality of this delicious semi-sparkling wine. Medium acidity. Long finish. 
• Suggested pairing: Baked or poached fish in cream sauce, fresh salad. I baked haddock wrapped in parchment paper with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon slices, scallions and parsley, and served with pan-fried green beans seasoned with red pepper flakes and garlic. The dish was delicious, but I recommend a creamy sauce to complement this yeasty wine. Or, go with focaccia and a fresh spinach and feta salad. It’s simply divine.

I used flutes in some photos but aerating the wine in your normal glassware is recommended for full expression of these complex wines.

Recognized in 2009, Prosecco DOCG is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Also, Conegliano Valdobbiadene is on the short list to be recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site. Putting everything together, the timing is right to elevate your game to DOCG. It will change how your think about Prosecco!

Please join the Italian Food, Wine and Travel group for a Twitter chat on Prosecco DOCG July 6, starting at 11 am ET. Follow #ItalianFWT. You’ll find lots of different wines and pairing ideas among these bloggers:

• Wendy, of A Day in the Life on the Farm, says Summertime and the Living is Easy with Prosecco DOCG in My Glass.
• Lynn, of Savor the Harvest, explains How Terroir Creates Prosecco DOCG “Personality.”
• Jill, of L’Occasion, asks Looking for Freshness? Check out Prosecco DOCG.
• Rupal, the Syrah Queen, writes Prosecco Elevated – Sipping Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
• Jane, of Always Ravenous, pours Prosecco Superiore Paired with Italian Small Bites.
• Deanna, of Asian Test Kitchen, is Pairing Cartizze Prosecco DOCG Beyond Oysters.
• David, for Cooking Chat, says Prosecco Superiore: The Special Italian Sparkling Lives Up To Its Name.
• Liz, of What’s in That Bottle, is Discovering the Delights of Prosecco Superiore.
• Jeff, of FoodWineClick!, goes Beyond Apertif, Enjoy Prosecco Superiore at the Dinner Table.
• Martin, of ENOFYLZ Wine Blog, encourages Getting to Know Prosecco Superiore.
• Pinny, of Chinese Food and Wine Pairings, is Sipping the Day Away with Prosecco DOCG.
• Gwendolyn, of Wine Predator, shares 3 Prosecco DOCG and Calamari with Lemon Caper Sauce.
• Linda, of My Full Wine Glass, offers Take-aways from a week of glorious Prosecco DOCG.
• Jennifer, of Vino Travels, declares Prosecco DOCG is more than just Prosecco.
• Susannah, of Avvinare, is Taking A Closer Look At Prosecco Superiore DOCG.
• Camilla, of Culinary Adventures with Camilla, is Climbing the Prosecco Hierarchy: To Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze with Steamed Clams, Smoked Scallops, and Capellini.