Spring Break
Pop the prosecco, dump the champagne
Nancy Lan
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: Features
Let's face it - most of us cannot shell out $100 for a bottle of champagne. However, that doesn't mean that we can't celebrate Valentine's Day with some quality bubbly.
Although most people do not stop to think beyond champagne, there is a whole world of inexpensive, wonderful sparkling wines that are just waiting to be discovered. My suggestion: go for prosecco.
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine from the Veneto region, and the grapes are grown in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene regions. The wine comes in semi-sparkling (frizzante), or fully sparkling (spumante). When shopping for this wine, don't be tricked - extra dry prosecco is actually sweeter than brut, so keep this in mind.
Believe it or not, prosecco makers actually sometimes prefer to have a twist-off cap rather than a cork, so when shopping for your wine, don't be deterred if you see that the prosecco doesn't have a conventional cork; often times, this can actually be a sign of quality.
Prosecco is much more fun and way less expensive than champagne. Whereas champagne can often be heavy and is meant to be aged, prosecco is meant to be drank while young, remaining light and refreshing.
A 750-ml bottle of prosecco will usually run anywhere from $9 - $25, while higher-quality proseccos are a bit more pricey. However, the great thing about prosecco, contrary to champagne, is that even the cheap stuff is pretty solid. There is a vast array of great proseccos under $20.
Cavit Lunetta prosecco is a great example of this. This prosecco it is surprisingly fruity without being sweet or syrupy, and retails at most major liquor stores for around $11. Lunetta has a very floral nose, with hints of apple, pear and melon. It has a light and dry finish, which balances out the acidity of the wine as it initially hits your tongue. This wine will pair well with lighter foods, such as chicken, seafood, grilled vegetables and even mildly spicy foods.
If this is your first time trying prosecco and you're not sure what to get, look for proseccos that are marked "di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene," "di Conegliano" or "di Valdobbiadene DOC" - these denominations denote proseccos of regional authenticity and higher quality. Also, "di cartizze" proseccos are very crisp and smooth on the palate, but usually run a bit more expensive.
Many prosecco producers now also offer packs of smaller, individual sized bottles (a la beer style), which are perfect if you're having a get-together or going to a BYOB with some friends.
Cin cin!
Although most people do not stop to think beyond champagne, there is a whole world of inexpensive, wonderful sparkling wines that are just waiting to be discovered. My suggestion: go for prosecco.
Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine from the Veneto region, and the grapes are grown in the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene regions. The wine comes in semi-sparkling (frizzante), or fully sparkling (spumante). When shopping for this wine, don't be tricked - extra dry prosecco is actually sweeter than brut, so keep this in mind.
Believe it or not, prosecco makers actually sometimes prefer to have a twist-off cap rather than a cork, so when shopping for your wine, don't be deterred if you see that the prosecco doesn't have a conventional cork; often times, this can actually be a sign of quality.
Prosecco is much more fun and way less expensive than champagne. Whereas champagne can often be heavy and is meant to be aged, prosecco is meant to be drank while young, remaining light and refreshing.
A 750-ml bottle of prosecco will usually run anywhere from $9 - $25, while higher-quality proseccos are a bit more pricey. However, the great thing about prosecco, contrary to champagne, is that even the cheap stuff is pretty solid. There is a vast array of great proseccos under $20.
Cavit Lunetta prosecco is a great example of this. This prosecco it is surprisingly fruity without being sweet or syrupy, and retails at most major liquor stores for around $11. Lunetta has a very floral nose, with hints of apple, pear and melon. It has a light and dry finish, which balances out the acidity of the wine as it initially hits your tongue. This wine will pair well with lighter foods, such as chicken, seafood, grilled vegetables and even mildly spicy foods.
If this is your first time trying prosecco and you're not sure what to get, look for proseccos that are marked "di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene," "di Conegliano" or "di Valdobbiadene DOC" - these denominations denote proseccos of regional authenticity and higher quality. Also, "di cartizze" proseccos are very crisp and smooth on the palate, but usually run a bit more expensive.
Many prosecco producers now also offer packs of smaller, individual sized bottles (a la beer style), which are perfect if you're having a get-together or going to a BYOB with some friends.
Cin cin!
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