Prosecco

Hailing from the Veneto region in northeastern Italy, Prosecco is a DOCG sparkling wine that offers clean fruit aromas of apple, lemon and nectarine. Despite common belief, the grape in Prosecco’s production is not named Prosecco, but is actually known as Glera. Instead of undergoing its secondary fermentation in bottle like Champagne, Prosecco is made using the Charmat method—a production technique in which the secondary fermentation takes place in a large tank. Using this bulk secondary fermentation method not only keeps production costs down, but it also creates a fresher, simpler wine—often forgoing the brioche and biscuit aromas so common with Champagne. Prosecco’s versatility not only allows it to be enjoyed as an aperitif or a mid-meal palate cleanser, but it’s often used in cocktails such as the Bellini. And although the majority of Proseccos are meant to be consumed young, there are a handful of Proseccos that can withstand cellaring. Make sure to find the Proseccos worth aging in the Prosecco Buying Guide.