If there was ever a time to crack open the bubbly, it’s the festive season. In the run-up to Christmas and the New Year the satisfying sound of a cork popping is almost an everyday occurrence.

Nowadays, it’s highly likely that the bottle being opened is one of Prosecco – the easy-drinking fizz that has taken the world by storm. Through my work with The Prosecco D.O.C (Registered Designation of Origin) Consortium, I present on Prosecco across the UK and am overjoyed at the level of interest in this fantastic, versatile fizz that is as accessible yet also complex and nuanced.

The different levels of sugar content with the ‘Brut’, ‘Extra Dry’ and ‘Dry’ styles and the different types of effervescence, with Spumante or Frizzante, offer a whole range of flavour profiles. And that’s before you begin to look at different producers across the two regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia that make up the home of Prosecco in north east Italy. The Proseccos produced by producers across the nine provinces in these regions – Treviso, Venice, Vicenza, Padova and Belluno in Veneto and Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine in Friuli-Venezia Giulia – offer their own unique characteristics that mean there really is something for everyone.

You may be  looking for an aperitif or perhaps you’re on a quest for a perfect pairing with food, whether it’s Grana Padano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), sushi or Parma ham. Whatever you’re after, there is a Prosecco for you. It’s just a case of knowing which one to choose.

I’ve picked out six top Prosecco producers whose wines will suit a variety of occasions this Christmas and New Year:-

Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry, Veneto, Italy, £10.75. Stockist: Tesco, Tesco Wine by the Case

This company, begun by Francesco Mionetto 1887 in Valdobbiadene, has an excellent range. The Extra Dry is a great example with lovely balance and notes of green apples, acacia and apricots, but for me their Treviso Brut is also really impressive.

 

Prosecco DOC La Gioiosa Et Amorosa NV Treviso, Veneto, Italy, £11.99 on offer to £9.99. Stockist: Majestic

La Gioiosa is owned by the lovely Moretti Polegato family, who produce this is delicious, elegant and soft Prosecco, which has floral and citrus character and is a delicious match with seafood. Make sure you have a bottle nice and chilled.

 

San Leo Prosecco DOC Brut NV, Veneto, Italy, £10.99 on offer at £7.99. Stockist: Waitrose

A great one for a party or aperitif, this Prosecco is packed with lively fruit flavours. As well as a standard bottle, it’s also available in magnum for that showstopping moment, currently £20.99 down to £15.99.

 

Prosecco Masottina DOC Brut, Treviso, Italy, £12.99. Stockist: www.winedirect.co.uk www.winetherapy.co.uk

Located in Prosecco’s Conegliano region of the Veneto and owned by the Dal Bianco family since 1946,Masottina produces a range of high quality Proseccos and this DOC remains as popular as ever. This Decenter Gold Medal winner is stylish, smooth, elegant and creamy, it will be a winner at any party and family celebration.

Prosecco Valdo Marca Oro DOC Extra Dry £10.00 on offer at £7.00, Sainsbury’s

This is a very well known producer and popular Prosecco, which should be part of your Christmas selections. Full of freshness and light, lemony fruit flavours, with lovely creamy character too.

Prosecco Biancavigna DOC Brut, £15.00, Armit Wines, www.armitwines.co.uk

Biancavigna make beautifully elegant styles of Prosecco and they are most definitely a Group One runner. Their Brut is soft, floral, creamy, very stylish and delicious. Great as an aperitif with my favourite pairing of Grana Padano aged between 16 and 20 months, which is ideal for any cheese board or the cruncher, intense Grana Padano Riserva aged over 20 months. Grana Padano is available in Waitrose, M&S, Harvey Nichols, Sainsbury’s and Co-op.

The Prosecco story is still developing and its growth and popularity will no doubt continue to expand. The important thing is to try and to understand the nuances between different producers, different regions and different contexts.

You can enjoy checking out Oz Clarke’s new World of Wine (£30 Pavilion Books) and dive into the world of wines, grapes and vineyards. But when it comes to finding the Prosecco for you, you’re best off indulging in a bit of tasting. So pop that cork and get the fizz flowing, and come and join me on one of my masterclasses in 2018.

For more details regarding the Prosecco D.O.C Consortium check out www.discoverproseccowine.it facebook.com/prosecco @DOCProsecco

With Summer in full swing, what better way to relax and enjoy the sun than with a cool glass of Prosecco. Luckily, SPAR is currently stocking two fabulous and well-priced bottles: SPAR Extra Dry Treviso DOC Prosecco (£9.00) and SPAR Superiore Valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco (£12.00).

The Wine Tipster does not seem to be alone in his love of Prosecco, as the UK currently accounts for 33% of Prosecco exports, making the UK the largest global importer. Following record exports to the UK in 2016, Prosecco DOC continues to grow across key markets – led by the UK returning an average of 30-40% growth over the past few years alone.

Production of DOC (designated area of origin) wines has risen from 1.5 million hl in 2011 to a huge 3.5 million in 2016. You’ll be pleased to hear that o ur thirst for quality Proseccos has led to the Prosecco DOC Consorzio increasing the area under vine. As of July 2009 Prosecco can only be produced in the regions of Veneto and Fruili-Venezia-Giulia in North-East Italy, but thankfully, there are lots of suitable vineyards areas across the nine provinces in the Prosecco region.

It should also be noted that Prosecco is never produced on tap, only in bottle, with the driest style being brut, then extra dry and dry. Prosecco DOC is also a perfect summer pairing with Grana Padano PDO (protected designation of origin) cheese from the North-West and North-East of Italy, as well as complimenting sushi and shell fish.

The two Proseccos available at SPAR are both easy-drinking and elegant, with the DOC Extra Dry excelling in its citrus fruit character and crisp acidity, and the DOCG Valdobbiadene (which is a famous town in the hills of the Prosecco region) has wonderful floral notes. Both are excellent pairings with Grana Padano cheese.

These SPAR stocked bottles are a must this summer, and next time you pop into a SPAR why not have a look at the rest of their wine selection too!

The Wine Tipster spent the week at the 37^th London Wine Trade Fair, presenting an ‘Unlocking Prosecco’s Potential’ session, exploring the versatility of food and Prosecco pairings. He was joined by Italian Embassy chef, Danilo Cortellini, and together they entertained and educated a combination of bloggers, presenters, event organisers, wine educators, merchants and journalists.

The audience were treated to some fabulous canapes courtesy of Danilo, including Sicilian red prawn marinated with sweet red chilli and fresh burrata mousse, Beef Tartare with marinated egg yolk, and a goat cheese bonbon with beetroot powder and hazelnut. Accompanying the array of food, The Wine Tipster explained the background of Prosecco in terms of the Prosecco DOC regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia and the effect of minerality on the different styles of Prosecco. He also updated the audience on current and future vineyard plantings, as well as the huge success story of Prosecco in the UK at the moment, with 112.7 million bottles being sold last year alone.

Six carefully chosen wines were featured at this original session, including Zonin Cuvée 1821 Brut, La Jara Extra Dry, Fantinel Brut, Facchin Extra Dry, Raphael Dal Bol Extra Dry and Torresella Extra Dry. This diverse range of wines allowed The Wine Tipster to educate the audience on the importance of different Prosecco styles, as well as the method of production.

A key message that was appreciated and understood by the audience was the range of good Prosecco producers from both Veneto and Friuli, with the range of high quality wines that are available for over £10. All of the wines tasted were well received, leaving The Wine Tipster to highlight the versatility of Prosecco as a great pairing with the delicious dishes prepared by Danilo.

Danilo also talked about how Prosecco is a lovely pairing with Grana Padano, and how he uses this truly tasty cheese in his dishes. The Wine Tipster highly recommends Danilo’s debut book, 4 Grosvenor Square, published by Meze Publishing.

The Wine Tipster will be presenting more Prosecco DOC sessions paired with Grana Padano at Taste of London with Danilo, Foodies Festival, and the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival.

Over 100 people joined Neil Phillips, The Wine Tipster, at his masterclass, Prosecco DOC and Grana Padano PDO Cheese. “Italian moments – the flavour of joy” in Oxford.

Prosecco continues to develop its growth, and popularity will continue to expand, remaining on-trend with Prosecco DOC producers making excellent sparkling wines. Prosecco DOC are excellent food pairing wines, particularly with Grana Padano, a wonderfully versatile cheese.
The crowd were able to taste two vintages of Grana Padano, Grana Padano aged for over 16 months and Grana Padano “Riserva” aged for at least 20 months – there is a third vintage of Grana Padano aged between 9 and 16 months. They were then paired with a selection of Prosecco.

Not only is Grana Padano a key part of your cheese board, it can also be incorporated into a variety of dishes such as Squid salad with Grana Padano shavings and lemon powder, Risotto with peas, Grana Padano and basil and “ Maltagliati” with chanterelle mushroom sauce and Grana Padano.

For more information on Prosecco DOC (Origin Controlled Designation) go to www.discoverproseccowine.it and Grana Padano PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) www.granapadano.it. The Grana Padano aged over 16 months can be found in major retailers with the Grana Padano Riserva aged over 20 months available in Waitrose, Sainbury’s, Marks & Spencer and specialist shops.

To buy the featured wines they are available as follows: Prosecco Ruggeri Argeo DOC Treviso Brut, visit, www.greatwesternwine.co.uk. Mionetto Treviso DOC Treviso Brut is available on Amazon, Bosco del Merlo DOC Extra Dry 2015 from www.thewineryuk.com and Mionetto DOC Treviso Extra Dry from Tesco.

It has been a great summer for Foodies Festival around the country with excellent sessions in Bristol, Tatton Park, Birmingham and Brighton. The Wine Tipster will be presenting his masterclass, Prosecco DOC and Grana Padano PDO Cheese. “Italian moments – the flavour of joy” at the Foodies Festival in London at Truman Brewery on 18th and 20th November.

The popularity of Champagne and Sparkling wines will continue to grow in 2016, as will the thirst for knowledge and useful tips amongst devoted bubbles fans.

Certainly from a presenting perspective at food festivals, race courses, wine societies and corporate events there is a much greater desire to know more about serving temperatures, vintages, magnums and different styles, providing this is communicated in a down to earth manner (not always the case as we know!). For example, The Wine Tipster’s Prosecco Consortium and Grana Padano sessions at the wonderful Taste of London show in Regent’s Park last year provided a great opportunity to educate and talk about the very bright future for Prosecco, not only in terms of the range of quality Proseccos in both spumante and frizzante styles, but also the differences between brut, dry and extra dry. A key pointer and interest for 2016 will be the growth of Prosecco sales over £10 retail, as the Prosecco story enters a new chapter in the UK. Here is a selection of The Wine Tipster’s winning bets:

Prosecco DOC Bosco del Merlo Millesimato 2014, Paladin, Veneto, Italy, £15.99. Stockist: www.thewinery,com  A real star at Taste of London was Bosco del Merlo, produced by Paladin, who are making a fine range of Proseccos. This Bosco del Merlo has attractive citrus fruit, subtle creamy character and crisp acidity. A perfect match with Grana Padano Riserva. Stylish!

Italia Collezione Prosecco Brut NV, Veneto, Italy, DOC, £11.99. Stockist: Waitrose  Prosecco is not only great for parties, it  is also perfect as a pre-dinner aperitif and this Italia Collezione certainly worked in our house over Christmas. Good value, well made, with aromas of white flowers, lovely refreshing green apple character and creamy texture. Cheers!

Daylesford Organic Prosecco NV, Veneto, Italy, DOC, £12.50: Stockist: Daylesford Daylesford is a cycle ride away for us so I’m a regular visitor not only for this delicious, well-balanced off-dry Prosecco but for their wonderful meats balls too!

Prosecco Salatin Extra Dry NV, DOC Treviso, Italy, £11.99 Stockist: Majestic Based in Cordignano north-east of Conegliano, Azienda Vinicola Salatin are producing a range of seriously good Proseccos. Off-dry, zesty, with citrus fruit and creamy character, Salatin was a great pairing with sushi over the festive period. A winner!

Valdo Oro Pura Prosecco Superiore NV Valdobbiadene, Veneto, Italy, £13.49. Stockist: Waitrose Really attractive, well made, rounded, soft citrus and creamy Prosecco with a subtle hint of sweetness and crisp acidity.  Well worth spending over a tenner for this excellent aperitif style or to pair with Grana Padano Riserva. A Grade One performer!

Prosecco DOC La Gioiosa Etamarosa NV Treviso, Veneto, Italy, £11.99. Stockist: Majestic Made by the well-known and high quality producer Gioiosa, this beautifully packaged Prosecco is lovely and elegant, making it a perfect match with seafood. Pure class!

 

 

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