Beverage Dynamics July-August 2020 | Page 30

PHOTO CREDIT : © SONYAKAMOZ - STOCK . ADOBE . COM

Prosecco producers will soon be able to simultaneously tap into the sparkling and rosé trends . The Prosecco DOC Consortium announced on May 21 that the proposal to amend the disciplinary rules for producing Prosecco DOC — including the introduction of Prosecco DOC Rosé — was unanimously approved by Italy ’ s Ministry of Agricultural , Food and Forestry Policies ’ National Wine Committee .

The measure and the following Ministerial Decree now await publication in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic . The decree will formalize the modification at national level by launching the community procedure , which will end with the definitive publication in the Official Journal of the European Union . To label Prosecco DOC as rosé , producers will have to follow specific rules : Grape varieties : glera and 10 % to 15 % pinot nero . Yields : 18 tons / hectare for glera and 13.5 tons / hectare for pinot nero . Second fermentation — Martinotti / Charmat method : minimum of 60 days . Sales will be allowed from Jan . 1 after the harvest . Color : pink more or less intense , shining , and with a persistent foam . Residual sugar : from brut nature to extra dry . The label will have to state the word “ Millesimato ” and the vintage ( minimum of 85 % of the grapes from that year ).

The Consortium estimates that the total production of rosé prosecco could reach 30 million bottles per year . — MD

– Brandi Carter , beverage director / sommelier at Elvie ’ s in Jackson , MS .

Crémant d ’ Alsace is “ a great value , with special quality ,” says Gene Alexeyev , GM / beverage director / sommelier at French brasserie Mintwood Place in Washington D . C . He cites a chardonnay-based option from Camille Braun as a good introduction to French sparkling . Charles De Fere sparkling rosé from Alsace , a slightly off-dry , pinot-noir-based bottling , “ is our go-to for celebrations and welcome toasts for regular and VIP guests .”

Limoux in the Languedoc region of southern France is said to be the birthplace of sparkling wine rather than Champagne . Benedictine monks at the Abbaye de Saint Hilaire in 1531 discovered bubbles in a wine that had been bottled and corked .

ON THE LAMBRUSCO In addition to prosecco , Italy produces a number of other sparklers . Franciacorta from the north-central Lombardy region is often referred to as Italy ’ s answer to Champagne , as it ’ s made using the same method and with similar grapes . Asti ( once known as Asti Spumante ) and Moscato d ' Asti , which is gently bubbled , or frizzante , are sweeter wines from the Piedmont region of northern Italy .

The perception that all Lambrusco is sweet still exists , admits Julia Prestia , owner of Venturini Baldini , which has been making organic Lambrusco and sparkling rosé wines since

LEADING BRANDS OF DOMESTIC SPARKLING WINE , 2017-2019P

( p ) Preliminary .

30 Beverage Dynamics • July / August 2020 www . beveragedynamics . com