It is no secret that I love Prosecco almost as much as I love strong coffee and any type of cheese, which is saying a lot for something that cannot be sliced, melted, or poured into a mug.  Prosecco is bubbly, endlessly drinkable, and nowhere near as pretentious as Champagne. There are no rules on when or how to drink Prosecco, well, unless something goes off the rails.

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is a dry, easy-drinking sparkling wine, not champagne, mainly made from the Glera grape, often with a slight addition of Moscato. Its home is in northeast Italy, in the Veneto and Friuli regions. If you pay close attention to the first sip, you will notice the fruity, not sweet, notes of pear, apricot, melon, and peach. Sparkling wines in Italy must contain at least 85% of the Prosecco grape, known as Glera, to be classified as Prosecco. Considered more approachable than its rival, Champagne, Prosecco is a fresh, sparkling wine enjoyed without any particular reason.

Prosecco differs from Spumante or Champagne, and this will require a future blog post—stay tuned.

Prosecco Etiquette

Prosecco etiquette suggests serving it cold, between 40 and 45 degrees, and using a little magic to open the bottle at an angle to minimize the pop.  Most importantly, it should be served in a wine glass, not a narrow flute, as we do here in the US.  According to Contiki.com, “The Italians (who definitely know what they’re talking about when it comes to food and drink) believe that to taste Prosecco, you need to be able to smell its delicious aromas – think floral and fragrant notes. You can’t do this if your glass is a narrow flute.”

Valdo Valdobbiadene further explains that we should choose a tall, stemmed diamond-shaped glass for Prosecco, not the flute. The long stem lets you hold the glass without warming the wine, keeping the much-loved bubbles crisp and refreshing. The bowl is widest in the middle, which lets the aromas gather and gently surround your nose with every sip. (Good Lord, we are such novices in the US!)

PS: “If Prosecco is sold on tap, then it is no longer Prosecco. It needs to be served from the bottle,” said Luca Giavi, the director of the consortium of winemakers of the Valdobbiadene-Conegliano DOCG. Let that be a lesson to us all.”

Social etiquette recommends that when toasting, you should look your fellow guests directly in the eye, raise the glass to eye level, and extend your arm toward them. My son Jack shared this interesting fact with me from his experience living in Germany. Like Italians, the Germans take it very seriously.

Notice The Word “ice” Was Never Mentioned

There is a method to my madness in writing this post. This blog topic was suggested by my college roommate as we sat on barstools at a wonderful local bar. She was drinking a beer, and I was in the mood for Prosecco. The bartender was engaging and very nice. She took my order and returned with a large wine goblet, filled with ice.  I politely asked if she could remove the ice and simply pour the Prosecco into a glass, not believing those words actually came out of my mouth and delivered as carefully as I could, not to sound hypercritical.

She appeared confused by my request and strained the ice from the glass, and with a side-eye rivaling the sharp gaze of a good bulldog side-eye that I frequently get from Miss Tillie, she handed the glass to me.  I was appreciative, and we all continued chatting and laughing as if nothing had occurred.

Prosecco can be enjoyed anytime and in any way we like. Snobbery has no place here, except perhaps if ice is added (wink-wink).

Prosecco Does Not Age Well

Isn’t that a shame? It is best to drink it within a year or two, should it last that long in your cooler, or by the winemaker’s suggested date. Once opened, seal it tightly and finish it within a few days, as sitting in the fridge for too long can cause the bubbles to flatten and the flavors to mute.

So I have quite the stash of Prosecco, and I am open to guests should you feel the need to bring some cheese and crackers along with a hug for me and a treat for Miss Tillie.

Resources: Valdo Valdobbiadene, Marketview Liquor, Contiki.com