How to Easily Understand Prosecco Superiore DOCG (VIDEO)

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Prosecco Superiore DOCG

In order to fully understand what makes Prosecco Superiore so superior, we travel to Northern Italy and visit the heartland where the most prestigious Prosecco on the planet is produced: Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

It’s no secret that American’s are Prosecco obsessed! Perhaps, being fun to say and easy to drink, helped fuel our love affair with the Italian sparkling wine. While that might be what got the trend started (the 2008 recession helped as it’s an affordable alternative to the other sparking wines out there) it isn’t what kept it going. For any real love affair to last there most be something else there, something real that runs deeper than a quick fix.

Yes, Prosecco is a fun wine but it’s also a wine to be taken seriously. The key to understanding America’s favorite Italian sparkling wine starts with history, culture, and quality. The wines are as complex as the rules regulating the region.

This is the first of a five part series where we will help you navigate the world of Prosecco like a pro. Our first two episodes are dedicated entirely to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G.

Watch as Italian insider, Natalia Ravidà takes us on a ride of a lifetime. First things first, we get to the bottom of Prosecco and explain the quality distinctions so they are easy to understand. Then, we go inside Italy’s first wine school and hit the highway along Italy’s first wine road, The Prosecco Route.

A scenic drive that intersects the beauty and culture of the entire region. While the diversity of the landscape can’t be escaped, the common thread is the countryside surrounded by vineyards and villages. Then we get knighted into a secret society that celebrates Valdobbiadene.

A few things to keep in mind and soon you will be speaking about Prosecco like a Top Somm.

• The main grape is Glera

• The Prosecco Pyramid includes: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G., Asolo Montello Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G., & Prosecco D.O.C. All three Denominations correspond to areas that are very different in terms of size and landscape at whose base we have Prosecco D.O.C., produced in a very large area that includes nine Provinces in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia Regions. In the central part of the pyramid there is Prosecco Superiore di Asolo D.O.C.G.. Climbing up towards the top of the pyramid we find Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G., which is the sparkling wine produced in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene and represents the top-quality expression of Prosecco; this has its finest interpretations in the refined selections known as “Rive” and, at the summit of the pyramid, there is Superiore di Cartizze D.O.C.G., the “Grand Cru” of Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

• Sparkling Wine Made in Three Styles: Brut, Extra Dry and Dry. Also, for Conegliano Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. one may add other grapes to the obligatory base of at least 85% of Glera grapes.

*This video was produced in partnership Gran Via Società e Comunicazione.

*Photo Credit: Consorzio Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Facebook Page