Sparkling Wines | Radicchioblog

… and a vacation for Prosecco lovers

June 9, 2010

As my personal quest for Italy’s unique destinations continues, I figured that after tasting the best of Tuscan cuisine I need to sip on one of my favorite Italian wines: Prosecco. What a better destination than the “Strada del Prosecco”? (Literally Prosecco wine road).

First known as the “Strada del Vino Bianco” (officially opened in 1966), this stretch of road leads you, for about 47 kilometers (29 miles), among the hills of Conegliano, Feletto, Quartier del Piave and Valdobbiadene all the way to the feet of the Prealpi mountains in the Veneto region. The trip starts in Conegliano exactly in the square where the castle is and it procedes throgh several towns: Costa, Rua, San Pietro di Feletto, Refrontolo, Pieve di Soligo, Solighetto, Farra, Colle San Martino, Guia, Santo Stefano and San Pietro di Borbozza. The road is drizzled with florishing vineyards, lovely communities that welcome old taverns, locandas and trattorias, and striking landscapes. Each participating locanda in town has to feature a plate that reads “Bottega del Vino”. This means that the business has been carefully reviewed by a group of experts in terms of quality of wines available for tastings and on sale, authenticity of the place and oenological knowledge of the staff. The review is done yearly, and who does not pass has to remove the plate. To be considered for qualification, each bottega has sell, no matter the season, the following wines: Bianchi dei Colli, in the dry and amabile varieties, and Prosecco and Cartizze, in dry, amabile, frizzante and spumante varieties. These great wines are paired with fresh baked bread, appetizers, cheeses and cold cuts.

For a place to stay: Villa Giustinian in Portobuffolè (TV) is an amazing villa that offers Prosecco-flavored stays. From June 6th to August 1st, a five-night stay features a tasting in a locanda, a meal in a local trattoria, a bottle of Prosecco and a relaxing vacation at the villa. From August 6th to the 8th fireworks will color your nights, while sipping Prosecco in one of the many locandas.

By Natasha Lardera

Leave a Comment » | Dining, Italian Regions, Sparkling Wines, Travelling, Veneto, Wining | Tagged: Italian Regions, Italian sparkling wines, Italy, Prosecco, Veneto | Permalink
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Italian Sparkling Wines At Alta Cucina on December 9

December 3, 2009

Many people think that Italy has but a few sparkling wines. They couldn’t be more wrong. Italy actually has always had many sparkling wines and the recent trend has been to create a sparkling wine from just about any grape that has suitable acidity.

Acidity is a key factor in making a sparkling wine and often the grapes are actually picked slightly early in order to maintain the acidity. As a grape matures, its sugar levels tend to rise and its acidity falls. This is why many white grapes grown in cool climes are made into sparkling wines and many fewer red varieties from warm climates are made into sparklers. That said, there are no absolutes.

Italian sparkling wines can be white or red. Next week, on December 9, Alta Cucina will be holding an event and showcasing some different white sparkling wines. A few months ago, we had an event presenting red sparklers. The list is actually endless and each region is now getting into the act and creating a sparkling wine.

Sparkling wines can be made in a number of different ways but the most common are the traditional method where the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, the charmat method where the wine undergoes its secondary fermentation in tanks and the Asti method.

While certain areas of Italy do use the traditional method of making sparkling wines such as Franciacorta and Trento, most sparkling wines in Italy are made using the charmat method. This includes all prosecco which has become such a rage in the United States.

Producers have been creating sparkling wines out of their favorite grapes because they feel that it completes their product range. Many like to have a sparkling wine, a white, a red and a dessert wine in their portfolio.

Sparkling wines are perfect for the holiday season of course but they are also great wines to pair with food. The acidity usually plays well with any of the richer foods and can also be paired with light fare. Sparklers are a lovely addition to any meal and are usually a crowd pleaser as well. Salute!

3 Comments | Sparkling Wines, Wining | Tagged: Alta Cucina, Italian sparkling wines | Permalink
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Alta Cucina Society

Corte Visconti and Risotto with a Count in Lombardy November 29, 2011

Once upon a time....In a remote area of Italy's Lombardy region, there lives a count, Edoardo Visconti di Modrone, whose family's noble history dates back to the 1300s.

New Authentic Italian Bar and Cafe' opens in Midtown Manhattan November 22, 2011

LESPRESSO BAR is now open at Alta Cucina Epicurean Center in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

L'Espresso Bar at Alta Cucina Epicurean Center now open for breakfast and lunch November 19, 2011

L'ESPRESSO BAR is now open at Alta Cucina Epicurean Center in Midtown Manhattan, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon coffee, tea and pastries.

December 12 - Hands On Cooking Class and Dinner - from 6.30 to 10.00 p.m. October 28, 2011

Porsena, Sarah Jenkins' Pasta Restaurant in New York October 15, 2011

It's clearly meant to honor the many ways she learned to prepare pasta, when Sarah Jenkins's year old East Village eatery bills itself as, "Porsena, a Pasta Restaurant". I first encountered Chef Jenkins promising style of cooking several years ago at the Northern Italian trattoria, I Coppi, two blocks to the north.