Italian Sparkling Wines
Moscato d’Asti
This is a sweet, sparkling wine from the Piedmont region of Northern Italy. Made with Moscato grapes in the Asti region, this is a white wine.
Brachetto d’Acqui
This one is made from the Brachetto grape near Acqui Terme. It is a rose wine.
While both of these can be too sweet for most people, good ones make a great aperitif or with dessert.
Lambrusco
This one is making a comeback. This sparkling red wine can be off dry. Pair it with Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano. It comes from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy.
Prosecco
Made from the Glera grape in Italy in the Charmat method, Prosecco is a favorite bubbly of mine.
Because it is not aged “sur lie” as Champagne is, the flavors of Prosecco tend to be simpler and less complex. If you don’t want the sweeter version which comes to mind, look for the DOCG on the neck label.
This is not bottle fermented. Bubbles are light and frothy.