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At the risk of being boring, here’s a few technicalities you should look for when purchasing Prosecco—that humble but so stylish bubbly from Italy—to improve your chances of ending up with a bellisima bottle. 1) First of all, “extra dry” is probably the style that’s most popular; in a bit of reverse psychology, “extra dry” is sweeter than “dry” and the fruit tastes brighter and fuller. 2) Look at the piece of tape that’s stuck onto the neck of any bottle and look for “DOCG.” This acronym is a stamp of quality, higher than the regular “DOC” certification because the winery must follow the strictest regulations to achieve this status. 3) Prosecco “Superiore,” just like it sounds, is superior to regular Prosecco. 4) And the town of Valdobbiadene, where this particular Prosecco comes from, is one of the few areas in the Veneto winemaking region of Italy that is allowed the stature of “Superiore” because of the high quality of Glera grapes used to make Prosecco.
Ok, knowing all that, this 2014 COL DE’ SALICI Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry is bellisima. Just beautiful, and puts you in such good cheer you’ll want to kiss your neighbor on the cheek and say “bellisima!” Entrancing aromas of white peach and acacia bring you to rich and zesty flavors of green apple and green melon amidst the soft and frothy bubbles on the palate. The wine is focused, clean and crisp, finishing on a bright note of lemon peel. You would have to be a Scrooge to resist the magnanimous spirit contained in this luminescent Prosecco. –J.M.
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