Prosecco for the New Year

Toast the New Year, Italian-style!

Champagne has its place on the table, but for New Year’s Eve I like to drink Prosecco. It’s a dry sparkling white wine made from glera grapes that are grown in the Friuli and Veneto regions of Italy. Its bubbles are produced by the Charmat process (in large steel containers) rather than in each bottle, as they are in Champagne. This allows wineries to produce wines more or less continuously, rather than just once a year. This is great for the wineries, but it also means slightly more economical wines for consumers.

Here are a few tips for finding a bottle you’ll enjoy:

First, look for prosecco labeled “spumante” and not the lower quality “semi-sparkling” frizzante. (The latter only undergoes a partial second fermentation.) Second, understand how sweetness is rated; “Dry” Prosecco generally has the highest sugar content (about 20 to 26 grams per liter), “Extra Dry” contains between 14 to 20 grams of sugar per liter, and “Brut” is the driest, clocking in at 6 to 12 grams of sugar per liter. When Italians make a Spritz (a fun way to spice up your New Year toast) they usually use Extra Dry. Remember, you don’t have to spring for the dusty bottle with an older vintage; most Prosecco is meant to be enjoyed fresh.

Buon Capodanno!

For more from Lidia on New Year’s Eve, visit lidiacelebratesamerica.com.

For more information on Bastianich Wines, visit Bastianich.com.