WINE WITH DINNER – Prosecco

All of my basic wine classes at Suburban start out with a glass of Prosecco. Why? Because Prosecco is just a great way to start off an evening and that is why more and more people at restaurants are eschewing the perfunctory glass of Chardonnay as an opening beverage and, instead are asking for a glass of Brut Prosecco (like Champaign, Prosecco is also made in a slightly sweeter style called Extra Dry). They’ve grown tired of Chardonnay and are looking for something new and also in keeping with new trends in dining. Similarly, more and more hosts are serving Prosecco at home to their dinner guests to accompany hors d’oeuvres of most any kind.

Actually, Prosecco has been poured as an aperitif in Italy for generations. The best examples are from the DOC region of Conegliano Valdobbiadene in the Veneto region of north east Italy and cost between $10 and $20 at most retail wine stores (they cost more, of course, in restaurants, which is too bad – but that’s another topic). Brut Prosecco is a clean, crisp, refreshing white sparkling wine, made from the prosecco grape. It is made by the Charmat process which produces less bubbles than does the more expensive méthode champenoise and is relatively low in alcohol (below 12%) - the perfect way to start off an evening where other wines are to follow. – Jay Roelof – www.suburbanwines.com