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Close your eyes … you might think you’re drinking a high quality Champagne. Except that this wine isn’t French, it’s Italian. Except that this bubbly is not $50, but it’s less than $20. Except that this isn’t Champagne at all, it’s an ADAMI Prosecco. A winery located in the prestigious Italian region of Veneto (VEH-neh-toh), of which Venice is the capital, Adami makes a long line of superior sparkling wines—superior because the Glera grapes used to make Prosecco come from an area called Treviso, the place where, officially, Prosecco was born. Look to Proseccos made from Treviso if you’re looking for much higher quality than your standard, grocery-store Proseccos that are in the $8-12 range.
Our pick among Adami’s Proseccos is the Bosco di Gica Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut. Delightfully crisp, with creamy and soft mousse on the mid-palate, it possesses a quaint nose of pear and chamomile, with hints of almond, fresh-cut grass and mint. Level of dosage (added sugar) is minimal, so the bubbly tastes lean and bright, with limestone minerality on the finish that makes things even brighter. For around 17 dollars, this is very high quality stuff that seems way out of whack in relation to its price. That’s because it’s a Valdobbiadene DOCG. You can’t go wrong with a Prosecco that has Valdobbiadene on the wine label. Valdobbiadene (vahl-doh-BEEah-deh-neh) is one of three areas within Veneto that is top-ranked in quality for Prosecco. Trust us, this is on par with many a $50 Champagne. Now, the point is not to knock off Champagne. The real Champagne can’t be beat. Nor is the point to fool anybody. The point is to admire a wine of Italy, and particularly the stunning innovation and technology that the region of Veneto has come to develop, that such a superior sparkling wine can be offered at such a reasonable price. What an achievement for the world of Italian wine. –J.M.
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