Generality
Prosecco is a typical Italian white wine. It is mainly produced with the method Charmat and has a typical effervescence that is diversified into three types: still prosecco, sparkling prosecco and sparkling prosecco.
Vines
Prosecco is made from white grapes belonging to the vine of the same name (Prosecco for that matter), now better defined Glera; this denomination was introduced in 2009, so as not to confuse the grape variety and the wine, while better protecting the DOCG brand of Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene.
In reality, those of Glera MUST make up at least 85% of the total grapes, while the remaining 15% can be made up of chardonnay, pinot grigio, verdiso, bianchetta trevigiana and other strictly regulated grapes.
The Prosecco grape is native to the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia; it grows luxuriantly in the provinces of Treviso, Belluno, Venice, Padua, Vicenza, Udine, Pordenone, Trieste and Gorizia, respectively in more than 600 Veneto and Friuli municipalities. The Glera vine is vigorous, with large and long clusters; it stands on well-drained soils, therefore peaty and any widely irrigated cultivation are excluded.
Prosecco (Glera) has been cultivated for over 200 years and was mentioned (in 1772) in the "VIII volume of the" Giornale d "Italia" by the famous academic journalist Francesco Maria Malvolti.
Vinification method
Adapted from: Textbook sommelier. The technique and the art of tasting - Del Baldo Editions - pages 115-116
Prosecco is the result of the REFERMENTATION in the bottle (or in an autoclave) of a wine-base produced by vinification with the aforementioned grapes.
The term that identifies the production method (of many types of prosecco, as well as other sparkling wines) is Charmat, from the name of the French who patented it; in reality, the discoverer of this system was the Italian (Piedmontese) Martinotti.
The Charmat method is ideal for the production of Prosecco, as it is a wine that bases its characteristics on IMMEDIATE, primary pleasure rather than complexity. It is therefore a method by which the characteristics of those aromatic vines that express freshness, intense aromas and vibrant acidity are preserved intact.
The prosecco production technique is quite simple, but it is distinguished according to the type to be obtained; let's see it in more detail. The harvest of the base wine takes place in advance, to guarantee freshness, acidity and aroma. The destemming - that is the separation of the grapes from the stalks (rich in tannins) - is as important as the subsequent absence of maceration of the skins. The fermentation of the must takes place by adding selected yeasts and inside large steel tanks , lined with a "cavity" (to maintain the temperature at 18-22 ° C); the process continues until, in the must, the alcohol and sugar remain constant (two consecutive measurements, between morning and evening). This is followed by racking to remove the lees and maturation to remove the tartrates; bottling, if immediate, would lead to the formation of a "still" prosecco. On the other hand, in the majority of cases (about 80%), the Prosecco is sent to the processing of the aforementioned Charmat method. Let's see what it is: when the base wine is ready it is placed in special autoclaves (possibly together with sugar and certain selected yeasts). About 24g of sucrose per liter produce up to 6 atmospheres of pressure and a relative ADDITIONAL alcohol content of about 1.5 °. The second fermentation takes place in these autoclaves and continues for about 15 days at a temperature of 13 ° C; the stop is obtained early for the sweeter sparkling wines and late for the driest ones.
Subsequently, the isobaric decanting takes place (ie without dispersing the carbon dioxide) to separate the lees, after which one proceeds with refrigeration to stabilize the wine and finally with the isobaric bottling.
Nutritional Characteristics
Prosecco is an alcoholic drink that is part of the fermented whole. Its chemical composition (once fermentation is complete) DOES NOT enhance large quantities of sugars, nor of proteins and fats; it is therefore deductible that ALL the energy supply of Prosecco derives from content in ethyl alcohol (about 12 °).
Like wine and very alcoholic beers, Prosecco can also be consumed daily, as long as the portions are NOT more than two and do not exceed 125ml at a time.
Similarly to other alcoholic and spirits drinks, excessive consumption of prosecco is also potentially harmful to the body, especially in the presence of overweight, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and liver pain. Furthermore, alcohol abuse is closely associated with degeneration of the esophageal mucosa. , of the gastric and duodenal mucosa, with increased acidity, reflux and the possibility of gastritis or, worse, ulcer.
Finally, remember that prosecco does NOT boast the same contribution in antioxidants (such as the famous resveratrol) as red wine, which is why its intake with the diet does not confer any nutritional value.
Spritz is a famous cocktail based on prosecco; here's how
Watch the video
- Watch the video on youtube
Other prosecco-based cocktails (sparkling wine)
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