One of the most popular beverages over the past 15 years, has been Prosecco. Virtually coming out of nowhere in the late 1990's, it is now so popular that there is constant pressure to expand the production zone, while maintaining vigilance on the use of the name. But what is and why so popular?

About Prosecco

• Prosecco is a sparkling wine from a designated place of origin in Italy (that is where the DOC/DOCG comes into play).
  • That means it can only come from this very specific location and nowhere else in the world – it is unique even though a lot of it is made.
• It is made from a grape called Glera, but comes from the Prosecco region, hence the name of the wine (kind of like Chianti is a wine from the Chianti region, but is made mostly from the Sangiovese grape).
• Prosecco is not Champagne (that is a different lesson). It is Spumante, which in Italian means sparkling wine.
• Prosecco most often comes in Extra Dry or Brut styles – the Brut actually has less sugar and is drier than Extra-Dry.
  • I know – you might think it would be opposite based on the term “Extra-Dry”, but the term Brut is in reference to the very driest wines and how they feel Brutish compared to the slightly sweeter versions.

 
What does it taste like?

• Prosecco is very fruity – more so than most other sparkling wines
• It is very aromatic and very fruity in the nose – think pears
• It can be a bit more frothy than other sparkling wines – this is a result of the fairly short production period and lower atmospheric pressure in the bottle – the wine gets a lot of fruit and bubbles, but is less complex than say Champagnes and Cava, which take longer to make.
  
• As mentioned above, the sweetness level is often a little more than Champagne or other sparkling wine, but the alcohol will be a little lower as well – typically 11%.
  
• Prosecco does have acidity, which is often balanced by the slight sweetness, but the acid means that it can pair with food.

 
Food Pairing suggestions:

• Prosecco is a classic Italian lunch wine – primarily because the alcohol is lower, and it is easy to drink. In America it has become a cocktail wine or starter at the bar – its an easy suggestion for anyone looking for something simple to start a meal with. Commonly used for Bellinis, it works well in restaurant service for holiday and celebration dinners, such as New Year’s and Valentine’s Day.
  
• Because of the fruitiness, elevated foamy feel of the bubbles, and slight sweetness, Prosecco can pair well with:
  • Starters – raw seafood, salads (especially a salad with seafood such as Crab), vegetable apps (spinach artichoke dip), and even fried dishes.
    
  • Mains – keep it lighter – delicate seafood dishes are best, or something fried. Poke Bowl or a Salad at lunch is perfect combo. White pizza is great.
    
  • Ending – a little sweetness in the wine means it can pair with less-sweet desserts, especially those with fruit and cream. Lower abv also means it can impact less than a spirit or Port.

 
The Classic Prosecco Cocktail

• Bellini – essentially the combination of Prosecco and Peaches, although many other combinations and modifications are out there, but remember…
  • Prosecco and Peach makes a Bellini
  • Champagne and Orange makes a Mimosa

Walk through any restaurant kitchen in the morning and you will inevitably see someone breaking down a salmon. They are smoked, baked, grilled, poached, souped, ceviche, crudo and pizza-ed. Occasionally we serve them on a bagel.
 
But what to offer for beverage suggestions?
Aside from a cup of coffee to go with the bagel, schmear and lox, there are any number of choices that can work really well with this versatile fish – a lot depends on how it is cooked and plated.
 
Salmon is a large fish, dwelling in the ocean except when it travels up fresh water rivers/streams to spawn. The part we eat is the muscle, and large fish such as this have much less connective tissue than land animals, as such there is less fat in the meat, and this means it can cook much quicker. It is also “lighter” when compared to beef and other meats. Therefore, when looking to pair with certain wines, it is important to consider what will work best with the various factors involved in the palate.
 
Important factors with salmon:

• Ocean dwelling, steak fish – can handle a lot of cooking styles
• Medium texture – it’s a little fatty, but generally lean (especially when cooked with heat) = less tannins will be best
• How is it prepared? And what else is on the plate?

 
Wine Suggestions
Salmon is a fish, and therefore the weight and fat content would almost always mean starting with something in the white wine category.
Texturally, though, it is medium in its overall weight on the palate (this may be obvious or not, but remind your guys that weight refers to the texture and feel in the mouth – not to actual pounds of fish).
Often grilled or cooked like a steak, so the smoke and char from the grill will allow it handle oak.
 
White Wines

• Chardonnay is an easy go-to. Think Napa or Sonoma, but fuller-bodied Burgundy can work very well (Meursault, Pouilly Fuisse).
• Other whites – look for medium-acid whites - Cotes du Rhone blanc will match weight to weight but with less oak; California Sauvignon Blanc – especially with some oak aging.
• For raw preps like crudo – there is citrus involved on the plate, so this has to be considered – oak is a NO-NO. Go to medium-plus acid driven whites that will pair with freshness and highlight the delicate nature. Think, Northern Italian Pinot Grigio, Oregon Pinot Gris, New Zealand Sauvignon, Chablis, Loire Chenin or Albarino could also play a role, as well.
  

Red Wines

• Red wine with fish? Yes – its not 1965, anymore.
• Being leaner in fat and texture, salmon will work well with red wine that has less tannins. The cooking style will impact the suggestion. Think Italian Merlot, Pinot Noir from Burgundy or Oregon if prepared simply. If grilled and smoky, this can handle a fuller wine with some oak – therefore, go to Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Chianti Riserva or Rioja. A good Cotes du Rhone rouge, cool climate Syrah, or Cru Beaujolais may be great, as well.

There has been a lot of interest in the Level 2 Wine Award for the next series, and I just wanted to remind all that this Monday (today essentially - Feb 3rd) is the cut-off for the next session which starts on February 17. I will be ordering the class materials on Tuesday morning, so please if you have not signed up, yet, take a minute and click on the button below. If you  have any questions about the class or how it operates - feel free to reach out to Brain Mitchell - [email protected].

Full class details are available by clicking the 'CLASSES' button above and going to the L2 page.

 Click below to buy ticket for
WSET Level 2 in Wine - ONLINE
Session starting:
February 17, 2020
Runs through:
March 22, 2020
Deadline to sign-up is February 3
Exam date will be set for March 28, 2020 - 11am.
Session cost is $599, and includes all materials and fees.

Not a ton of notable things came across my desk this week (sorry guys), but there were a couple items that I felt warranted a mention. Its hard, because I actually had the opportunity to taste quite a few things - some were OK, but as is often the case - a lot was not. So, just a short list this go round, which is probably just fine since most of you are watching or recovering from the Super Bowl (I am writing this Sunday afternoon, not game-time, quite yet).

The two best items I tasted were from France - the 2014 Jean-Paul Brun Terres Doree Moulin a Vent (aka Beaujolais pretty much at the top of the game), and the 2018 Yves Cuilleron Syrah Les Vignes d'a Cote (aka Syrah from the Northern Rhone).

The Moulin a Vent (which means windmill and is a reference to the windmill in Moulin a Vent, but also to the fact that the region happens to be quite windy) is just a superb example of Gamay. This is a Cru that has vineyards at elevation and on granitic soils - two perfect combinations for making elegant and delicious wine with deep concentration. I decanted, which was a good call, due to the fact that it is a little fuller and at first the nose is a bit closed. BUT, on the palate the wine is super elegant and smooth, lower alcohol and acidity make it simply glide across the palate. The bottle goes down quick so be careful

The Syrah is produced by Yves Cuilleron, who took over his family's domaine in 1988, and has lead the charge in the northern Rhone for Syrah-based wines for years. I actually had the pleasure of dining in a restaurant in Ampuis that is partly owned by Yves - while he was there for lunch - this was last March with my traveling companions to the Rhone and Burgundy (yeah, these two guys to the right - it was a lot of fun). This particular Syrah is basically the entry level of the range, but it is quite good - better than most in fact. Deep, and a little brooding - the Syrah opens to black fruits and some spice, but kind of holds its own as a bigger, blacker version of what would basically be Cotes du Rhone level/priced wines. There is an elegant streak of acidity through the middle that provides lift to the wine, and this is what makes it a great choice for meat, poultry and anything that has some fat and sauce.

In a completely different direction from the reds above, the other thing that hit my desk this week was a couple of new wines from Ted Diamantes - owner of Diamond Wine Imports. These are Assyrtiko, which is a beautiful and well regarded white wine, most often from Santorini in Greece.  Both wines tasted were from the 2018 vintage, but the Alexakis is a Cretian wine, while the Santo Winery is from Santorini.

It is easy to see, when tasting side-by-side, why Santorini is the preferred region of origin. Not to take away from the Alexakis - it is a smooth and easy drinking wine with a complex approach and finish - but the Santorini wine shows higher tones of acidity and balance. Alexakis Assyrtiko was a bit broader in the middle and had weight similar to Chardonnay. The Santo Winery Assyrtiko glides across the palate with a balanced and fresh acid structure that carries the mineral / saline fruit, gracefully.

If you are not familiar with Assyrtiko or with Greek wine in general, now is a great time to check them out. Very good values (although prices are creeping up on Santorini wines), with more and more selections available each season. Lots of letters and a few challenging names - but the wines are worth seeking out - they work with food very well.