There’s nothing like a good glass of champagne with a meal. It celebrates not only the event but the taste and flavors of the food before it. Usually most people reach for a good French variety. However the Italians produce an excellent one called Prosecco. This is a dry champagne with not as many bubbles but a lot of flavor.
Prosecco is Italy‘s answer to Dom Perignon. It’s not as sweet tasting as Asti Spumante and is not as overly fizzy as it is either. It has a light lemony taste that is perfect with everything from pasta to risotto , from meat s to fish. It is fermented from Prosecco grapes that have been around since Roman times . In fact Pliny the Elder praise din as the vinum procinum. The name Prosecco came from the town of prosecco, located near Trieste in Italy‘s Northeast corner. However it’s now made in Piedmonte , rivaling Asti Spumanti in production It is cheaper to make thanks to the Chermat method of fermentation. This method allows the wine to go through the second fermentation in pressurized tanks rather than in individual bottles. No turning the bottles every day as in Champagne. The shorter, tank fermentation is preferable for Prosecco because it preserves the freshness and the flavor of the grapes.
Prosecco is more of a summer wine and served with light summer dishes as opposed to heavy pastas. However I had mine the other night with a wonderful dish of artichoke ravioli. It really complimented it and brought out the taste of the sage butter sauce and the artichoke filling itself. However Prosecco is recommended with vegetables so maybe that’s why everything worked. It’s also the main ingredient in a Bellini that wonderful peach cocktail known in Venice. I plan on buying and serving Prosecco this way for holiday brunches,
If you’re looking for a better alternative to Champagne then try Prosecco. Its’ light dry taste will make you an instant fan . It’s the perfect holiday drink this season.
Monday, October 26, 2009
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