Prosecco – Becoming Increasingly Popular
The Italian sparkling wine Prosecco is fast-becoming a rival to France’s own Champagne. Less costly than the French alternative, it’s refreshing flavour and lightness on the palate has seen Prosecco’s popularity soar in recent times.
Prosecco is a young wine, which means it is meant to be drunk within a few years of it being bottled. The term is a geographic indication and describes the area from which the wine hails (though formerly it was also the name of a grape, now known as Glera), which consists of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions in Northern Italy.
It may not receive a lot of praise from connoisseurs, but Prosecco is consumed in restaurants and homes all over the world. Though Champagne receives the most attention, is the best publicised and highly praised of all the sparkling wines, Prosecco is building a reputation based on taste and quality. There are varying levels of dryness from dry and extra dry to brut and the flavours vary according to where the grapes are grown. Usually the wine has a light body and notes of apple, pear as well as a slightly citrus after-taste. The more prized versions from Cartizze often taste richer and bring in elements of vanilla, plum and orange.
Generally-speaking, Prosecco is an accessible drink, not very high in alcohol content which is another reason it does so well at social occasions. This easy wine also compliments buffet-style food but it’s not limited to party snacks; Prosecco is often enjoyed with white meats such as duck or chicken, salads and pasta at the table.
Prosecco is a wine which goes down well at any occasion and is more widely enjoyed than other more acquired tastes. It’s already popular with consumers and needs only to escape from the shadow of Champagne to really make its mark in the wine industry.
