When it comes to Prosecco, the fizzy, sparking wine that has become a favorite successor to Spanish Cava, we discovered some discerning characteristics at a one-on-one tasting recently with Matteo Bolla, the energetic & peripatetic US representative of Valdo Prosecco & sparkling wines. Follow along as we share what we learned as we sipped.
By: Isabelle Kellogg
Posted on: August 15, 2022
Prosecco is Italy’s vivacious sparkling wine that is made in the northern Veneto region, mostly from white Glera grapes. Thanks to the relentless marketing efforts by Prosecco DOC, Prosecco is as ubiquitous as rose wine and is everywhere these days. Its popularity is due to low alcohol content (11% on average), good pricing and a reasonably consistent product. However, not all Proseccos are equal in terms of taste and production techniques. Anyone looking to level it up can rejoice in the fact that there are some outstanding producers of Prosecco in the Veneto region, like the ones produced by the Valdo family.
Valdo, one branch of the Bolla wine family, got into the Prosecco business in 1938 to ensure that there is a quality product for people seeking more than just a cheap bottle of frizzante wine. Some of Valdo’s production facilities are the original buildings (some great historical images exist of the first bottlings) and some are undergoing modernization, but one thing is clear, Valdo is not cutting loose from its roots. All their grapes come from their vineyards in various regions of Valdobbiadene, in the northeast region of Italy’s Veneto region, where grapes are still hand-harvested since the vineyards are on steep, sloping hills. The landscape is gorgeous!
All their grapes come from their vineyards in various regions of Valdobbiadene, in the northeast region of Italy’s Veneto region, where grapes are still hand-harvested since the vineyards are on steep, sloping hills. The landscape is gorgeous!
My first sip was Marca Oro Brut Prosecco DOC NV made of 100% Glera grapes. It is aromatic, has a pale straw yellow color, refined “perlage” (fine bubbles) and a faint fruity taste. The grapes are handpicked the last week of September (the mountain breeze keeps a colder hold on the grapes) and aged for three months using the Charmat method in stainless steel pressurized tanks (this method used for all but one of the Valdo wines), then one month in the bottle. Excellent!
Up next was Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut 2020 which comprised of 90% Glera and 10% Pinot Noir grapes. Pinot noir grapes are given one day of maceration and a soft pressing to impart a lovely pale pink color with a nose combining floral, apple and red berries. Very drinkable for any occasion.
The Valdo Flora Rosé Brut NV is the company’s wild card in terms of packaging but remains consistent to the Valdo product. Classified as a vino spumante, the bottle is covered in a wild, Miami-inspired flower shrink wrap design. Here, we have 75% Nerello Mascalese, an indigenous grape variety from Sicily, and 25% Glera, the grape varietal of the Veneto. Red and black berries are recognizable in the flavor and aroma, but in a subtle, refined manner.
Moving up to DOCG, the highest and most prestigious ranking among Italian wines, Valdo has two superb bottlings: Cuvée 1926 Prosecco Superiore DOCB NV and Numero 10 Valdobbidene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Metodo Classico. Cuvée 1926 uses a precise selection of Glera (90%) and Chardonnay (10%) from the most prestigious areas of the DOCG territory at an altitude of 820 feet where the soil is calcareous. Fermentation is by Charmat method with some twists like a soft pressing with free-run must and an extra-dry style with 16 g/L dosage. The result is a wonderfully sophisticated Prosecco resplendent of ripe pears and a whiff of pineapple and flowers. Medium body and a long, enjoyable finish make this a great one for main courses.
Numero 10 is a completely unique Prosecco, still made with 100% Glera grapes but grown on hills surrounding the historic winery which are DOCG ranked. Valdo challenged the status quo to produce a prosecco using the traditional method typical of the Champagne region. Numero 10 is made via bottle fermentation, resting on the lees for at least 10 months, then after disgorgement, it ages another six months in the cellar (reaches 12.5% alcohol) to gain its bold straw color, fine perlage and creamy mousse. This is a winner!
If you tend towards more sophisticated sparkling wines, you’ll be surprised to taste the level of refinement in all of the wines made by Valdo. It was a defining moment in my Prosecco experience, and it might be for you as well!
In addition to a career in communications and marketing focused on the luxury lifestyle sector, including co-authoring and lecturing a case study on French heritage jeweler Mauboussin with Harvard Business School, Isabelle continues to share her experiences about fine art, wine, travel, jewelry and culture as a freelance writer for internationally based digital publications.
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