Unlike other lists, when it comes to the world’s most wanted Prosecco, no one producer has a monopoly.
Nat Sellers·Saturday, 23-Mar-2024
All that glitters may not be gold but Prosecco instead.
As we carry on through the world’s most wanted, it’s time to stop by northern Italy and the alpine foothills of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, home to the world’s favorite party tipple.
Prosecco is exclusively made from the green-skinned, high-acid, aromatic grape, Glera via the Charmat or – as it is known in Italy – the Marinotti method. This involves the grapes going through a first fermentation in stainless steel tanks to produce a still base wine which is then bottled.
This base wine is then added to a closed stainless steel pressure tank, known as an autoclave, along with sugar and yeast. The yeast feeds off the sugar, converting it into both alcohol and carbon dioxide gas which, trapped in the tank, dissolves back into the wine. The yeast is eventually filtered out and the wine is then bottled.
The longer the fermentation, typically the more aromatic and finer the wine. There are various tweaks to the overall method with some producers choosing to ferment the initial base wine in the autoclave pressurized tank, while others choose to do the second fermentation in bottle – known as the col fondo method – where the yeast is not removed and the wines are sold cloudy.
However, the Prosecco making this year’s most wanted roster are all the classic examples of the breed.
First up is the gaudy gold Bottega Prosecco. Bottega wines are well-decorated when it comes to awards, which is unsurprising considering the business has been going in some form since 1600, and currently sells in more than 160 countries around the world, with the Gold particularly popular in travel retail.
Resplendent in metallic gold – obviously – perhaps a too garish first impression for some, the actual wine does repeatedly well with the critics, garnering an aggregated critic score of 87 points.
As Tom Cannavan stated, “the aromas are very summery: crisp pears and apples … In the mouth, it is light and refreshing, with very good, crisp lemony acidity. Actually rather superior stuff, bling or not.” All for a lightweight $27.
Second is La Marca Prosecco with an aggregated score of 86 points. La Marca is a conglomerate of eight different owner-cooperative wineries nestled throughout the Treviso region and home to the Valdobbiadene World Heritage site.
La Marca Prosecco was described by Wine Enthusiast as an easy Prosecco that “offers fresh aromas of citrus, stone fruit and honey. It’s elegantly packaged with a light blue label that would look gorgeous at a lunchtime table set by the pool.” As well as being widely available, it’s also easily attainable with this elegant poolside number costing a very reasonable $18.
Third up is the Doro Nature by Le Vigne di Alice, a producer that celebrates joie de vivre, they recommend matching their Doro Nature with the person you love.
The critics clearly love it bestowing an aggregated score of 88 points. Wine Enthusiast described the wine as having “aromas of an apple orchard in full bloom. Crunchy acidity and notes of green apple, river stone and laser-like focus make this a stunner of a wine.” All for $24.
Fourth in line is the Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG by Bisol Desiderio & Figli. Bisol lies in the heart of the Veneto wine region and has vineyards nestled on the steepest slopes between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, the most important and highest being planted on the Cartizze hill, as illustrated in the label’s gold etching.
The crumbly soils help ensure the grapes retain a fresh acidity that transfers to the wine which has both floral and orchard fruit aromatics, and a very impressive aggregated critic score of 90 points. Falstaff has described the wine as having a “fragrant nose, of buttered pastry and vanilla … fresh pineapple, peach and a touch of gooseberry … Golden, full of fruit, the wine is hearty and shows proper sweetness.” However, this golden delight costs a full $41.
The World’s Most Wanted Prosecco on Wine-Searcher:
Number five – marking the midway point – is the Mionetto Prosecco di Treviso Brut. The Mionettowinery has been producing wines for more than 125 years after being founded in 1887 by Francesco Mionetto and, in 1961, it was taken over by his grandsons, Giovanni and Sergio Mionetto. The wines have gone on to be exported all over the world.
Their Prosecco di Treviso Brut – with its distinctive orange banner label – is highly rated with an aggregated score of 87 points. Wine Enthusiast described the fizz as “fresh and vibrant, this classic Prosecco is exactly what we are all looking for: freshness, fun and fruitiness.” All for an extremely agreeable $15.
Number six is the instantly recognizable Freixenet Prosecco in a distinctive diamond-pattern cut glass bottle. Friexenet is actually a large Spanish producer based in the Penedès with a stellar reputation for expertise in making Cava which they then turned to Italian Prosecco.
Their Italian offering consistently scores rave reviews earning an aggregate of 87 points. Highly regarded, the sparkler is also widely available and, at $17, extremely affordable.
Lucky number seven is the Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Cartizze Brut DOCG by Ruggeri. Situated, as the name suggests, in Valdobbiadene, Ruggeri has been producing sparkling wines in the region for 70 years.
The Cartizze Brut is known for its golden straw-like color and has won a slew of awards and we’ve given it an extremely impressive aggregated score of 90 points. Falstaff has described the sparkler as “bright straw yellow with silver highlights and a persistent mousse. Nose initially of sea salt, then a delicately floral note and a subtle fruit bouquet. Purposeful, full-bodied and driven. A pleasant juiciness in the finish,” all for $22.
In eighth place is the Zonin Cuvee 1821 Prosecco Spumante Brut. The Casa Vinicola Zonin wine group is responsible for a number of brands, one of which is the Zonin 1821 which – as the name suggests – has its origins back 200 years across seven generations
The Cuvee 1821 scores consistently well with both consumers and critics alike, garnering an aggregated critic score of 86 points. Falstaff described it as “bright silver grey with persistent mousse. Precise nose of candied lemon and acacia flowers, a fresh aromatic finish.” All for $14, making it phenomenally good value.
In penultimate place is the La Gioiosa et Amorosa Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. La Gioisa began back in the 1920s when the grandfather of the current president, Giancarlo Moretti Polegato made his initial purchase in the Treviso hills. From then on, the winery and wines have evolved to embrace more modern, evocative and international expressions with their wines now available in over 110 countries.
The La Gioiosa et Amorosa Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG has a strong aggregated score of 89 points, and has won a string of awards. Falstaff has described it as “bright, radiant straw yellow with persistent mousse. On the nose, some ripe peach and hazelnuts. The palate is very nicely judged, accessible and pleasing. A well-crafted wine.” Again, this wine offers exceptional value, coming in at a mere $17.
Last, but absolutely not least, is the Prosecco di Treviso Millesimato Rose Brut by Le Colture. An old winery dating back to the 1500s, Le Colture has remained in family hands throughout the generations. The labels are instantly recognizable by the canoodling silver Italian horses.
The only rosé wine to make this list while boasting an aggregated critic score of 88 points, the rosé brut was described by Wine Enthusiast as “polished and dry, this pretty sparkler has light scents of yellow spring flowers and wild herbs.” Pretty, indeed, and all that for a mere $15.
When it comes to Prosecco – and the world’s most wanted – it’s not hard to see why it remains perennially popular. With the most expensive costing $41 and the packaging giving all the glitz and glam, it becomes all too easy to avoid the sticky price point of Champagne.
Price-point aside, one final observation lies with the scorecard. It’s hard not to notice none of the scores sailing past 90 – other most wanted lists rarely leave the realms of 90 points plus. Perhaps the critics are uniformly hard on these buoyant northern Italian bubbles? Regardless of the critics’ collective stinginess, you can rest assured – if Prosecco is your jam – these won’t disappoint.