Prosecco, one of Italy’s best-known and loved exports, is fresh, sparkling, and thirst-quenching. Prosecco is easy to drink and pairs well with summer fruits, seafood, cured meats, cheese, olives—really, almost anything.

I had my first taste of Prosecco in Italy, which no doubt had a huge impact on my long-lasting affection for it. Prosecco takes me back to sitting at that Padua café, on a brisk fall afternoon as the scent of roasted chestnuts filled the air.

Vineyards of Italy’s Veneto region. Photo by daniFAB via Pixabay

Prosecco is made predominantly from the Glera grape. In fact, by law, it must be at least 85% Glera. The other 15% can be local white wine grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, or Pinot Grigio. The grapes must be grown in the Veneto or Friuli regions in northeastern Italy. If it’s made somewhere else, or from another grape, it cannot be labeled Prosecco.

Is Your Sparkling Wine Really an Italian Prosecco?

There are designations for wines made in Italy that delimit the production area, wine color, permitted grape varieties, percentage of grapes used, minimum alcohol levels, and production techniques. You will want to check out these designations and ensure you have one of the two available to ensure you’re actually buying Prosecco.

You can tell that your Italian sparkling is a true Prosecco by looking for the DOCG or DOC. Photo by SplitShire via Pixabay

DOCG

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, or DOCG, means Denomination of Controlled Origin is Guaranteed. DOCG is the highest and most strict qualification an Italian wine may receive. There will be a stamp of guarantee on the neck of the bottle. These wines will tend to be slightly more expensive, but worth it.

The Valdobbiadene region of the Veneto is the region where you’ll find DOCG Prosecco produced.

DOC

Denominazione di Origine Controllata, or DOC, translates to Denomination of Controlled Origin. Even though DOC designation lacks the word guarantee in the designation, you can be sure you’re still getting Italian Prosecco made in the country’s Veneto or Friuli region.

Most Italian wine holds the DOC designation. You will see a stamp on the neck of the bottle. Eighteen percent of all wines made in the Veneto, including Prosecco, fall into this category.

Torresella Italian Prosecco. Photo courtesy Torresella Prosecco

Which Italian Prosecco is Best?

There are hundreds of brands to choose from and I love to try as many as possible. It’s not easy to come up with a bottle that is affordable with good aromatics, some complexity, and a nice finish, but Torresella Prosecco DOC fits the bill nicely.

Torresella is actually the name of the wine and the region in the Veneto, only a short distance from the city of Venice. Torresella has been making prosecco in the Veneto since 1952.

The Torresella Prosecco DOC is a fully sparkling Spumante wine. The best way to drink Prosecco is when it is cold at 46-50° F. and in a tulip-shaped glass. You should drink it within two to three years of its bottling date. Prosecco is never a wine that needs aging.

A tulip-shaped flute is ideal for a crisp, cold Prosecco. Photo by eroyka via Pixabay

It’s also a great wine for making cocktails, including a Spritz and Bellini.

Prosecco is an excellent option for making cocktails, such as an Aperol Spritz. Photo by Blandine Joannic via Pixabay

Will You Like Torresella Prosecco? 

I think you will enjoy Torresella Prosecco if you like the delicate aromas of green apples and white flowers, with persistent bubbles and the taste of fresh pears and citrus. And for $12 to $15 a bottle, you really can’t go wrong.

Cin cin!

Be sure to check out more great wines brought to you by the Wander team as we Wander With Wonder.