Sparkling Wine from Italy

Prosecco is generally thought of as a sweet, sparkling wine from Italy. My mother has a tradition of ordering a glass of prosecco to start her meal at restaurants, and I've gladly taken that on as my own tradition. It's a lovely way to cleanse the palate and begin the evening.
Prosecco Riedel wine glass
While most people think of prosecco as sparkling wine, and it usually is sold that way, you can also get a still (non-sparkling) version of Prosecco. It can be interesting to compare the two and see what a difference those bubbles make.

Prosecco is traditionally made from "Prosecco" grapes - those grapes have been renamed to "Glera" in part to avoid confusion between the drink and the grapes. The wine can also have a small amount (up to 15) of other grapes such as chardonnay and pinot grigio.

Prosecco comes from the northwest area of Italy.

Prosecco should be drunk at around 42F - warmer than refrigerator temperature. This helps the flavors and aromas reach your nose. Still, it should not be room temperature, either, assuming your room is warmer than 42F :).

Drink Prosecco (and all sparkling wines) from a glass with a thin, narrow flute. This helps keep the bubbles from all dispersing too quickly.

Here are a list of other sparkling wine varieties.

Wine Types Main Listing
