Italian Sparkling wines to celebrate 2011

Browse around the web this time of year and you will find an awful lot of articles about Champagne. And to be honest there is a lot to say about Champagne. For example, did you know that it were the Britons that favoured the bubbles in the Champagne while initially the French disapproved the wine because of the bubbles? But enough about Champagne as we think there are enough delicious Italian sparkling wines or may I say Spumanti's to celebrate a new year. We have made a small selection to introduce.

Prosecco
Every occasion is a Prosecco moment in Italy, but as I wrote in my first post  Prosecco is also becoming hugely popular in the UK. Easier to drink than champagne, it is the sparkling wine we cannot miss out on this time of year. Produced in different areas of the Veneto region, its super fine, silky bubbles are created with the “Metodo Italiano”. This means that unlike with the Classic Method (champagne), the second fermentation of the grape juices takes place in the production tank instead of the bottle itself. This less labour intensive process is also one the reasons why Prosecco is more affordable. In generally Prosecco is an easy wine to drink due to its delicate apples and pears aromas and a low alcohol percentage of 11% or 12%. So, keep an eye on this blog because we will explain all the secrets of Prosecco in a series of future posts. Meanwhile, you can start with this special effervescent pink Prosecco Raboso IGT from Riondo. Yes, it is pink in colour, but it cannot be called “rosé” as M&S learnt the hard way… but this is a story for our future posts… Enjoy!


Franciacorta DOCG
This sparkling wine is one of my favourites for special occasions as it shows great elegance and complexity. Franciacorta has DOCG status and it is produced from grapes grown within the boundaries of the territory of Franciacorta. This wine production area is located on the hills of a series of townships to the south of Lake Iseo in the Province of Brescia, in the North region of Lombardy. It is produced using the “Metodo Classico” (Traditional Method, same as Champagne) and with a soil and micro-climate similar to those of the Champagne region in France, this wine is capable to deliver the same level of richness and taste-complexity at a fraction of the price.

By now you are probably wondering what “Metodo Classico”, micro-climate and taste-complexity mean. But do not despair, we are here to help as this is just the first of a series of blogs on Sparkling Italian wines. So just keep reading us and you’ll become an expert in no time! In the meantime, try something really different with this award winning “Brolese” Franciacorta DOCG Rosè of the Muratori' brothers. This excellent Blanc de Blancs from the Villa Crespia Vineyard has a long harmonious finish that is elegant and very well balanced. Read more


Felice Anno Nuove
As you can see there is a sparkling wine for every taste and all of them with their own unique personality just like a true Italian! We wish you all a Happy New year.

Welcome to the Italian Wine Boutique Blog

In this blog we would like to share our knowledge, passion and ideas for and about Italian Wine. With over 35 years of experience as award winning Head Sommeliers at Michelin/5 Star level establishments in the UK, we have gained quite some knowledge about Italian wines and British taste. Thanks to this knowledge, with this blog we hope to introduce you to those less known varieties as much as some true classic gems that surely will not disappoint you.

With New Year’s Eve just a few days away, our first seasonal tip is about sparkling wine… what else!

UK and Italian Wine: Prosecco and so much more
What is actually the status of Italian wine in the UK?  Research of Wine Intelligence tells us that at least 28 million Britons drink on average 9.5 glasses of wine a month. Wine Intelligence also states that at least 15% (2010) of them like to drink a glass of Prosecco compared to 8% in 2007. Although 4.2 million people already love the fabulous bubbles and the delicate apple and pear overtones of this dry sparkling Italian wine, it is becoming known to a much wider audience as an alternative to pricey party Champagne such as Crystal and as the key ingredient in Bellini and countless other fruit cocktails.
At the Italian Wine Boutique we are happy that this Italian sparkling wine is getting more popular by the day and is receiving the fame it deserves after almost 300 years of existence. However, we know there is so much more to Prosecco and other Italian sparkling wines that most people realise.
So do not miss our next blogs on Italian sparkling wines, with the results of our blind tastings of Franciacorta DOCG V Cru Champagnes, tips on how to choose the right sparkling Italian wine for the occasion and even a video tutorial on how to open a bottle of bubbles without blinding one of your guests.  

The Italian Wine Boutique Blog: Vi aspettiamo numerosi!
Through this blog we will guide you through the secrets of Italian wines. Read this blog every week and learn about how to understand labels, names, grapes and a lot more. Read also about news from the world of fine Italian wines, the occasional gossip and always plenty of advice on how to pair your Italian wines with food from the all over the world.

Vi aspettiamo numerosi!