Bubbles and Bites: Prosecco and Frittata to Please your Palate

Prosecco is one of Italy’s greatest sparkling wines.  Found in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, Prosecco is a palate pleaser offering a variety of styles with versatility allowing it to be paired with several cuisines. 

This month the wine writer’s group that I’m a part of, Wine Pairing Weekend, decided to go with a theme of pairing wines with classic summer fare.  The hot days of summer call for easy food preparation with flavorful meals to please the palate and summery wines to match.   

Over the years I have grown increasingly accustomed to appreciating sparkling wines. It’s not so much that I didn’t enjoy the wines, but I’ve never been a fan of bubbles in anything I drink.  This summer I’ve been on a bellini kick on those warm summer days.  If you’re not familiar with Bellinis they are made with Prosecco and peach juice.      

Prosecco comes in a wide array of sweetness levels starting with the driest to sweetest: Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry, Demi Sec.  The effervescence and the types of bubbles displayed in the glass can also vary allowing for a wide range of options for a wide range of personal preference.  Prosecco tends to be light to medium-bodied with aromas and a flavor profile of apples, pears, citrus, tropical fruits (more towards peach) and floral notes. They may have a yeasty taste as well in some glasses of Prosecco like one of the ones I’m sharing today.   

Pairing with Prosecco 

Prosecco is also fantastic in pairing with a multitude of foods.  It’s high acidity and fruity profile along with its effervescence make it great as an aperitivo, charcuterie boards, salads, seafood dishes, asian cuisine or just pour a glass to sip on its own.   

I've long been a fan of frittatas, but just don’t seem make them enough although they’re quite simple.  You can play around with the recipes and add so many different types of ingredients to frittatas to always keep it interesting. For this frittata I prepared some chopped up broccoli along with swiss cheese.   

I selected a couple of the Prosecco listed below to pair with the frittata that paired very nicely, especially with the swiss cheese flavors.  I have always had frittata for breakfast, but frittata can be enjoyed at any point of the day really.  Especially on those warm summer nights where you want something lighter.  Frittata paired with a nice, refreshing, crisp Prosecco will hit the spot. 

The wines 

I’ve been on a Prosecco tasting splurge since I had so many on hand that I’ve been needing to try.  All of these Prosecco wines hail from the top quality Prosecco appellations of the Veneto: Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Asolo.  Both of these hilly, DOCG appellations have unique terroirs with stricter regulations and are known for their top quality prodution of Prosecco. 

What’s the difference between Asolo and Conegliano Valdobbiadene?  Asolo is much smaller than Conegliano Valdobbiadene covering about 1,783 hectares with an annual production of about 24 million bottles in comparison to the latter which covers 6,860 hectares with an annual production of 100 million bottles.  I’ve enjoyed wines from both appellations equally so the intense wine enthuasist may have a preference one over the other, but in my opinion you can’t go wrong with either for quality Prosecco. 

Sourced from the winery in Asolo, Bele Casel

Let’s take a look at some of the bottles. 

 
Adami Adriano Brut “Bosco di Gica” Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Prosecco was very pale straw colored with a greenish hue.  Aromas of citrus, peach and a touch of herbal.  Juicy green apple and citrus show nicely on the palate.  This wine had bubbles with finesse, elegance and a nice balance of fruit and acidity with a lingering finish.  ABV 11%. SRP $22 (wine.com) 

Ciodet Brut “Labano” Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Prosecco was straw colored with aromas of green apple and ctirus that carries onto the palate.  Fresh and crisp acidity with notes of tart green apple and a touch of citrus and peach.  A long, salty finish with fine bubbles. ABV 11%, SRP $25 

2019 Bellenda Brut “San Fermo” Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Prosecco was pale straw colored with a slight greenish tinge.  Dry, citrus notes with saltiness showing on the lengthy finish. ABV 11.5%, SRP $22 

The Loredan Gaspaparini Brut Asolo Superiore DOCG Prosecco shows certified vegan on the label.  Bright straw yellow with light golden color.  Lemon citrus aromas.  Medium-bodied, dry on the palate with lemon citrus, grapefruit, yeasty notes and some baked apple. Crisp with a salty finish.  ABV 11%, SRP $19 

What are some of your favorite pairings with Prosecco? 

Join our fellow food and wine lovers as they share their personal selections of summer fare with wines to pair.

• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is opening “2 Arizona Wines for Summer Times: Page Springs Cellars Rose and Caduceus Anubis Red Blend with Fresh Apricot Salad and Burgers”
• Jeff of Food Wine Click! is sharing “A Summer Salad with Muscadet” 
• David of Cooking Chat has  “A Chillable Red for a Summer Spread” 
• Camilla of Culinary Cam cooked up “Albacore Tuna Burgers + Midpoint’s 2024 February’s Bouquet Rosé” 
• Linda of My Full Wine glass was “Inspired by Lillian: Rice Noodle Salad and Sicilian Grillo”
• Our host, Wendy, of A Day in the Life on the Farm writes about “The Wine I Paired with Classic Summer Fare“

You can find many Prosecco wines from Valdobbiadene and Asolo on Wine.com including the Adami Adriano mentioned above.  I may receive compensation for any wines purchased through the affiliate link in support of Vino Travels.

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own. 

 

National Prosecco Week Wraps up with a Look at Asolo Prosecco

As we wrap up National Prosecco Week we get ready to start next week for National Sparkling Wine Week.  Like you needed an excuse to pop open some bubbly!  Recently I attended a virtual event on the wines of Asolo Prosecco sponsored by the Asolo Consorzio and hosted by Studio Cru with an overview of Asolo and a tasting panel led by Alessandro Marchesan.  Such a great opportunity to learn more about this quality wine region in the Veneto and taste a variety of styles of Asolo Prosecco. 

The Asolo Prosecco Wine Region 

Prosecco is so mass produced that it’s important to understand the regions that are making quality Prosecco including Asolo and its neighbor Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Today we focus on the Prosecco wines of Asolo that are named after the town itself within the Treviso province of the Veneto region in northeastern Italy.  

Located only about 1 hour north of Venice, this wine region has a unique geography setting. It sits at the foothills of Monte Grappa and the Dolomite mountain range to the north, but is also not too distant from the Adriatic Sea. These factors influence its climate creating a balance between a continental and Mediterranean climate with winds from both the north and south. 

Copyright of Asolo Prosecco Consorzio

Asolo’s Prosecco wine producing history stems from a production of bulk wines as well as selling the wines locally. Since 2012 the area has increased plantings due to zonation research they conducted that identified the best areas for planting.  That along with producers from the small family run businesses that occupy the region paying strong attention to producing quality wines have changed the vision of Asolo Prosecco wines. Although the market for Prosecco has grown tremendously in recent years, production in Asolo has always been there well before the Prosecco craze. It is actually the fourth biggest DOCG sparkling wine producing region in Italy.  

Asolo Prosecco wines became a DOCG in 2009 and in 2014 was the first to start the Extra Brut category for Prosecco wines that are low in sugar and full of fruit.  The wines of Asolo are defined by their distinct freshness in their bubbles and their salty, mineral finish.  The wines are made from a minimum of 85% Glera along with up to 15% of other local non aromatic grape varieties to include Verdiso, Perera, Glera Lunga and Bianchetta Trevigiana. 

The Wines 

The 2022 LeTerre Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Millesimato Dry was brightly straw coloerd with aromas of apple, pear and citrus.  Crisp with soft bubbles and notes of lemon with a hint of honey ending with a salty finish.  ABV 11% 

The 2022 Bele Casel Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry was a brilliant pale straw color. There were aromas of citrus, apple and wet stone. On the palate the wine was crisp with bubbles tingling the tip of the tongue. It showed nice fruit with juicy tart apple and citrus with a lingering finish. 

The 2022 Case Paolin “Col Fondo” Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Sui Lieviti Brut Nature was an interesting wine to try.  Not my personal preference, but everyone has their own preferred styles.  A great learning experience on col fondo wines though that I’d like to share. 

What is col fondo?  Col fondo is when the wine produced in the traditional or classic method where the secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle and it not disgorged.  How does col fondo differ from pet nat (if you are familiar with those wines)?   Pet nat wines are bottled before fermentation is complete.  The sui lieveti on the labels translates to “with the bottom” since the wine is remaining with the natural yeasts or lees and sediment on the bottom of the bottle. 

Back to the wine, this wine is made from organic grapes that are certified organic.  The grapes are grown on the slopes of Montello in their oldest vineyard, about 30 years old.  The wine spends 15-18 hours on the skins and is fermented in steel tanks with secondary fermentation in the bottle. Pale straw colored with a greenish tinge and slight haziness to the wine from the “sui lieviti”.  Floral aromas with citrus and yeasty notes.  Bone dry, light-bodied, crisp and clearn with mouthwatering acidity, citrus pith notes that seemed slightly bitter to me with  minerality on the finish.  Alessandro recommended drinking this wine with asian foods or lobster rolls.

Copyright of Asolo Prosecco Consorzio

There will be more Asolo Prosecco wines to come as well as my feature on this region in the Appetito magazine next week. Stay tuned! 

Have you tried the wines of Asolo and what are some of your favorite Prosecco producers?

You can shop on Wine.com in support of Vino Travels and find a variety of Prosecco wines to try for yourself.

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.  

Prosecco Superiore Wines with Bellenda and Villa Sandi

If you’ve been a follower of my blog you know that October is a month that I have much to celebrate.  From my birthday, to my 10 year wedding anniversary since I got married in Italy, to one of my favorite holidays.  All the more reason to celebrate.  With many Prosecco calling my name in my stash I wanted to highlight a couple wines from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene wine region featuring both Bellenda and Villa Sandi. 

The Wineries 

Bellenda 

The Bellenda winery has been run by the Cosmo family since 1986.  Originally founded by Sergio Cosmo, but run today by the brothers, Umberto, Domenico and Luigi.  Bellenda is located about 40 miles north of Venice in the village of Carpesica, a tiny village in Vittorio Veneto, within the Treviso province.  This family-owned winery produces Prosecco from the Conegliano Valdobbiadene wine region in a variety of sparkling wine styles on about 86 acres overlooking the Prosecco hillsides. 

They were the first winery in Conegliano Valdobbiadene to restore the use of the classic method that had been practiced until the 1930’s when it was forgotten.  What is the classic method?  It is when the secondary fermentation takes place within the bottle.  This way the bubbles are created within the bottles.  This differs from the typical method that is used in the land of Prosecco where the Martinotti method is used, also known as the tank method or charmat method.  For this method the refermentation takes place in pressurized tanks.     

Bellenda pays close to attention to sustainability in a number of ways and preserve their biodiversity with the surrounding woodlands.  The do not use any herbicides or pesticides.  They recover their vine prunings for energy production as well as the use of solar panels.  They also use recycled glass for their packaging materials as well as their wine bottles.   

Villa Sandi 

You may remember me mentioning Villa Sandi when I spoke about the owners of Borgo Conventi recently. The same owners of Villa Sandi, the Moretti Polegato family, purchased Borgo Conventi years back. In 1920 Mario Polegato, the grandfather of the current President Giancarlo, purchased vineyards and created the beginnings of Villa Sandi.  

After the Second World War Divo, Mario’s son, along with his wife Amalia dig into the family business and have two sons, Mario and Giancarlo, whom also get involved with Mario becoming an enologist and Giancarlo, focused on the financial side of the business. Unfortunately, they experience a sudden loss as Divo passes away leaving Amalia and the two sons to take over. They end up purchasing the current Villa Sandi estate in the end of the 70’s, which is a Palladian style building built in the early 1600’s. In the 80’s the three of them start getting worldwide recognition for Prosecco and developing themselves in the worldwide export market. 

Villa Sandi

During renovation of Villa Sandi a network of underground cellars were discovered that had been in existence since 1622. Giancarlo and Mario decide to use these cellars and produce wines using the classic method after a visit to Champagne. 

Today the winery is operated by the 4th generation including Giancarlo and his wife, Augusta, and their two sons, Diva and Leonardo. The generations continue on. Villa Sandi now has 5 estates in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions. They have vineyards in many areas of the Prosecco designations from the Asolo DOCG to Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG and in Cartizze DOCG, which is considered the cru of Prosecco.    

The Wines 

I received a number of Bellenda samples to try that I will continue to share on my social media and maybe in future articles, but I wanted to focus on their 2020 Bellenda “Sei Uno” Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Rive di Carpesica Extra Brut.  Whew that was a mouthfull!  These grapes are grown in limestone-clay soils on ancient Piave glaciers that are rich in morainic deposits.  This wine spends several months sue lie and is disgorged after 12 months with an additional 6 months aging in the cellar.   

More to come on the other bottle soon

I recommend not using a flute when you drink sparkling wines so that you can get the aromatic expressions from the wine.  This wine was pale straw colored with an intense mousse upon pouring it into the glass.  Apples, peach and citrus were expressed in the aromas.  My first impression of this wine upon first taste was that it was like biting into a crisp, tart apple.  Clean and light with citrus flavors and finesse in the bubbles.  A touch of bitterness near the end with a persistent finish.  A lovely wine!  ABV 11.5% 

What does the Rive mean in the Prosecco Superiore wines of the label?  The rive were established back in 2009.  Rive are the steep slopes that are difficult to farm within the Prosecco Superiore territory.  There are 43 rive in total and each rive define a specific vineyard site that display particular characteristics in the wines that are produced from those sites.   

I also tasted the NV Villa Sandi Valdobiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry. Made from 85% Glera and 15% Chardonnay this wine was inoculated with selected yeasts and fermented in temperature controlled tanks until it reached the desired alcohol and sugar levels and was stopped by refrigeration. The color on this wine was very pale with a touch of straw color. Some stone fruit and apple on the nose. This wine had frothy bubbles with lively acidity on the palate. Nice juicy green apple notes with the fruit noticeable on the palate. A touch of peach on the finish along with some sapidity. ABV 11%, SRP $25.

You can find Villa Sandi and other Prosecco Superiore wines on Wine.com. 
 

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*These wines were provided as samples, but opinions are always my own.  This post contains affiliate links to keep the costs minimum to run Vino Travels.  Purchasing through the links allows me to collect a small commission without any cost to you.  Thanks in advance!