The best Proseccos for 2018

With this in mind, it is worth considering sugar in Prosecco. Unlike Champagne, where the majority of wines are made in a Brut style (0g-12g/l), Prosecco is generally released as an Extra Dry (12g-17g/l), and the fizz seems to suit this level best – the sugar broadening the mouthfeel and complementing the orchard-fruit flavours. Furthermore, the slight sweetness to Prosecco in part explains its widespread appeal – and, in particular, its popularity with a cross section of drinkers who were, 10 years ago, mainly drinking sweeter styles of pink wine, known as ‘blush rosé’.

So, as you can see in the results, the majority of high-scorers were ‘Extra-Dry’, and, should one seek out Brut, it is usually from better sites in the region, so DOCG areas, and in particular the warmer, south-facing hillsides of DOCG Asolo, which naturally produces wines with more yellow-fruit flavours. Indeed, after the day’s tasting, one judge, Jonathan Pedley MW, said: “Most wines achieved a good balance between sweetness and acidity. That said, there were a couple of examples where producers straining to make Brut or even Extra Brut offerings ended up with wines that were too tart and austere.”

Having considered sweetness, another aspect to Prosecco that emerged after the tasting is freshness. While an element of maturity is desirable in many bottle-fermented sparkling wines – above all, Champagne – when it comes to Prosecco, the combination of the Charmat method and the aromatic Glera grape means that this fizz is best enjoyed as a youthful product. As a result, some of the rejected wines were those that showed flat, tired, and at times oxidised characters, and not the aromatic freshness that makes Prosecco stand out. As Nick Tatham MW, another judge, said: “The Glera grape is at its best when drunk fresh.”

He said that this meant that vintage-dated Proseccos (millesimato), if they are from older harvests, might not offer a better experience for the consumer, even though they can be more expensive than ‘regular’ releases.

Also, although the vast majority of Proseccos are labelled NV, they are generally the product of one vintage, which is usually the latest one, thanks to the popularity of the product.

In summary, it was widely felt that Prosecco is fashionable because it successfully delivers fresh, fruity, slightly sweet sparkling wines that are enjoyable to consume. And, it was revealing to see the quality attainable at the top end, be it from the step up to DOCG, or, much more rare, the Rive designation for special sites. Overall though, it is the combination of the sparkling winemaking expertise of northern Italy with the appealing aromatics of Glera that has made Prosecco such a hit. While there is a place for premium or even super-premium Prosecco, the judges felt that it was important the top end remained true

to Prosecco’s most appealing attributes – particularly regarding freshness and sweetness.