Celebrate National Prosecco Week (July 20-26)

The week to celebrate our favorite casual, mixable, sparkling wine is upon us. Yes, it is officially National Prosecco week! (We’ll forgive you if you didn’t know such an occasion existed… many of us didn’t either.) So, in honor of this week, we’ve penned (typed) a little piece here confessing our love for this lively Italian bubbly and pointing out some of our favorites.

First things first: why do we have so much affection for such a modest, some might call ‘everyday’ sparkling wine? I guess the main reason can be summed up in three letters: F-U-N. If Champagne is serious, then Prosecco is fun. It doesn’t require contemplation or adjectives describing its depth and complexity. Prosecco only requires empty stems and some willing imbibers. Pop the cork on a well-chilled bottle to enjoy a glass while you’re prepping dinner, hanging out with friends or while lounging in the backyard on a sunny, summer afternoon. It’s bubbly for any occasion.

On its own, Prosecco is fresh, lively and delightful. The fun, however, doesn’t stop there. There are a bunch of sparkling wine-based cocktails that Prosecco is perfect for. Here are some of our favorites…

Bellini
Peach puree and Prosecco. Mix to desired ratio. Can’t get any easier than that!

Aperol Spritz
You got it, Aperol and Prosecco. We like a 50/50 ratio. Pour it into an ice-filled wine glass. Maybe add an orange wheel garnish to pretty things up.

French 75
Gin (1.5 oz), lemon juice (1 oz), simple syrup (.5 oz) and Prosecco (2 oz). Shake and pour into a Champagne flute. Add a lemon twist to this one.

Negroni Sbaglaito
We’re replacing the Negroni’s traditional gin with Prosecco. Use the same ratio though, equal parts Prosecco, Sweet Vermouth and Campari. Pour it over ice and add a twist of orange.

There are many others to explore, but you can’t go wrong with any of these.

So, which Proseccos should you be buying? Great choices abound, but here are our top picks…

Gancia – A longtime best seller for us.
Natale Verga – A top value from one of our favorite Italian producers.
90+ Cellars – You can never go wrong with a wine from these guys!
Luca Grucci – ‘Grand Cru’ quality Prosecco. An absolute MUST try.

These four Proseccos highlight everything that we love about this sparkling wine, from the floral, bright nose to the refreshing, fruit-filled palate. They are irresistibly delicious. A couple of people would have no problem taking down a bottle in no time (we can attest). And what’s more, they are great buys, all falling in the $10-$15 range.

Now that you have several recipes and some recommended brands in hand, stop on in and pick up a bottle or two to celebrate the week-long celebration that nobody knew existed: Prosecco week!