“Prosecco time!” is the new "let’s get a coffee!” A friendly meet-up and the promise of a get-together that’s non-committal, fun, and bubbly— just like the wine. But not all Prosecco is created equal. To discover the differences, we packed up a wine-colored vintage coupé and set off for the historic wine production zone shared between the towns Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in Treviso, a province of the Veneto just east of Venice.
Driving slowly with the windows down, we took in the charm and aromas of land so beautiful that, in July 2019, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site. Prosecco, said UNESCO, was “to be protected and safeguarded due to the uniqueness of its cultural landscape.” It is the 10th site added to this category and the second in Italy, after the trio of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato in Piedmont.
Key differences
Some facts. Prosecco produces approximately 550 million bottles per year, of which 460 million are labeled DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin). The denomination indicates that the grapes have been grown in a flat area that spans all four Prosecco-designated provinces of Friuli-Venezia Giulia as well as the five in the Veneto. However, just 90 million bottles warrant the “Superiore” label, which entitles them to one of the two DOCG (Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin) classifications.
The smaller area of origin produces Asolo Prosecco Superiore. The slightly larger — and World Heritage Site, as well as the subject of this story — is an 8,500-hectare zone that spans 15 municipalities in the province of Treviso, with Conegliano to the far east and Valdobbiadene to the far west, heavily forested land that is one of Europe’s most biodiverse wine-growing territories. Within which, 43 steep hills called "Rive" yield just over 3 million bottles that boast hand-harvested grapes, limited production, and “heroic” viticulture (the slopes are terrifying). Finally, Cartizze, a 107-hectare hill that produces 1.2 million bottles per year, embodies the highest quality Prosecco Superiore. As you would expect, as the quality rises, so does the price.
Oh, how sweet!
“Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is esteemed for its fruity fragrance, obtained through an autoclave fermentation method, whereby the second fermentation occurs in large vessels. This maintains the integrity of the Glera grape aromas: green apple, white pear, apricot, rose, wisteria, and acacia,” recounts Innocente Nardi, president of the DOCG’s Consorzio di Tutela (Protection Consortium). Before popping the cork, whatever the occasion, you need to take into account the degree of sweetness. “Extra Dry (12 - 17 grams of residual sugar per liter) is traditionally served as an aperitivo,” explains Cristian Maitan, voted the best sommelier of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene in 2018. “It might be accompanied by cicchetti, small appetizers from the Veneto region such as polenta crostini with baccalà mantecato (creamed cod), bread with a slice of sopressa or Alpine cheese, hard-boiled eggs with anchovies, sweet and sour sardines or small fried fish.”
He explains that Brut (less than 12 grams of residual sugar per liter) is more versatile and can carry the entire meal, from fish- and vegetable-based appetizers to seafood-based pasta and rice dishes and baked whitefish entrées. “If you’re eating seafood, you may be better off going with Extra Brut," which, according to Maitan, "has less than six grams of residual sugar per liter and balances the sweetness of crustaceans and shellfish with its dry flavor.” Dry, which has between 17 and 32 grams of residual sugar per liter, is a surprise, Maitan says. “Here you might typically have a glass at the end of a meal with some biscotti, but it’s very interesting when paired with spicy, ethnic dishes.”
Photography: Giacomo Bretezel