NV Ruffino Prosecco, Italy, Wine Review

Score: 
87
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$11.00USD

A very nice way to start an evening especially with a crowd.  Silvery/green in color, clear and bright.  A nice mousse with medium bubbles.  On the nose, an effervescent lemon/lime quality.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is dry with minerality and lime notes.  A bit of lemon hard candy on the finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work with most foods.  Drink now.  

NV Ruffino Prosecco DOC, Italy, Valdobbiadene, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$14.00USD

Produced in northwest Italky and made from organic grapes, this is a very nice value in a dry Prosecco.  The label is a bit different utilizing a white (instead of yellow) label.  Gold/silver in color with a lot of smaller bubbles.  The nose has lots of minerality with apple and pear notes.  Medium bodied.  Dry.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru.  Some apples.  Clean finish.  This is very food friendly and will work with just about anything from sushi to pizza.  Drink over the next year.  

NV Guinigi Prosecco, Italy, Veneto, Treviso, Wine Review

Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$17.00USD

This is a sparkling wine from northeast Italy.  It comes in an attractive packaging with a clear bottle.  Silver/green with a bit of white gold in color.  There is a nice mousse with a stream of medium sized bubbles.  It has a very nice nose with lanolin, lime, soda and also a bit of peach.  On the palate, this is very refreshing.  At 11% abv, it is lively with nice energy.  The lime/lime soda qualities carry thru to the palate with a nice crispness.  Solid finish.  This is made to be drunk now and in the next year or two.  It will work well on its own and also with a pasta in cream sauce. 

NV Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, Italy, Veneto, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

Kirkland is the in house brand for Costco.  They contract out a wide variety of wines and many of them including this one are very good and great values.  This sells for $7.Silvery green and gold in color.  A modicum of medium sized bubbles.  The nose is reticent but with minerals and limes/green apples.  It opens with a bit of air but is never strong.  It is better and stronger on the palate.  Clean.  Just a hint of sweetness, just barely.  Good acidity.  Good finish.  This is food friendly and easy to drink.  Made for immediate consumption, for $7, this is a no brainer for parties and coo

Italy’s Best Sparkling Wine Value: Veneto's Prosecco

Continuing our Italian Sparkling wine Journeys (just in time for the holidays), we will continue to head east thru northern Italy. You may recall we started in Piemonte with Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti. Then traveled east thru Lombardia and their sparkler, Franciacorta. Continuing on east of Lombardia is the Veneto, home to some world class red and white wines and perhaps the best sparkling wine value (along with Cava from Spain) available on store shelves. I am talking, of course, about Prosecco .

Prosecco: Champagne's Sexy Italian Cousin

I'm often inspired by this illusive effevescent wonder. It makes the perfect start or finish to any dining experience and is a masterful accompaniment to meals designed not to overpower the delicate sparkling wine. A tall flute of prosecco is simple: visually perfect. Not much need be done to enjoy it, but it brings added pleasure to anything it is paired with.