Get your fancy glassware out, National Prosecco Day is finally here! Whether you plan to celebrate with a pitcher of mimosas or a vertical tasting of some beautiful bottles, Prosecco Day is for everyone who loves sparkling wine! Celebrated each year on August 13th, it came into being when famous Prosecco brand Riondo Prosecco established it in 2016 to celebrate Prosecco becoming the best selling sparkling wine in the US, beating out Champagne.
Now you may be wondering: what’s the difference? Well, prosecco is typically only made from Glera or Moscato grapes and produced in the Veneto or Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy. Champagne is primarily made of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Petit Meunier grapes and is produced in the Champagne region. The biggest difference is the production method: Prosecco is made using the Charmat method, which is where the base wine undergoes the secondary fermentation in the tank to capture CO2, whereas Champagne is bottle conditioned.
The difference in production means that Prosecco is intended to be consumed fresh and young – perfect for celebrating, perfect for summer! They range from bone dry to super sweet, so there’s usually a prosecco for everyone. Hot tip: Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut (which contains the least sugar), and Demi-Sec is the sweetest. When choosing your perfect Prosecco, you should also know that “spumante” means it’s fully sparkling and “frizzante” means it’s semi-sparkling, with less intense bubbles.
Prosecco is also the perfect sparkling wine for any cocktail. You may be familiar with the classic Aperol spritz, but there’s infinite ways to make a summer spritz if you’re not in the mood for aperol. Campari, Amaro, or Limoncello are also popular for pairing with prosecco and maybe a splash of carbonated water. If you like something sweet and fruity (hold the bitter!), opt for a peach bellini, which is just peach puree or nectar mixed with prosecco in the glass. A must try for lovers of Italian bitters is the Negroni sbagliato, which is a classic Negroni with a gently poured prosecco float. To quote House of Dragons actress Olivia Cooke, “Stunning!”
Cin Cin! Salute!