Sweet tale of the bubblies
A cold flute of fresh bubbly is always welcome, especially when celebrating. These days there are so many options – where do you start?
Feminine, sophisticated and classy, prosecco is popular not only in South Africa where sales are up 24%, but globally, 325 million bottles of this premium Italian sparkling wine are sold per year!
So, why is Prosecco so popular? And where do champagne, sparkling wine and MCC fit in?
Here is the lowdown from Rowan Leibbrandt, founding owner of Cape Town-based premium drinks company, Truman & Orange:
Prosecco is crisper, slightly sweeter and more delicate than MCC (Méthode Cap Classique) and both have a softer bubble and subtler fizz than sparkling wine. MCC is essentially the South African version of champagne, made using the French “methode champenoise” fermentation process where the liquid spends nine months developing flavour in the bottle. The only real difference: the grapes are South African.
While MCC, champagne and prosecco are all double-fermented to produce their unique fizziness, prosecco’s second fermentation is according to the “Italian Charmant” method and involves fermenting in tanks. Prosecco is made to be drunk fresh.
Its delicate floral and lively fruity notes come from the Glera grapes used in its production, characteristic of the rolling hills they’re grown on in Northern Italy, in a relatively small area surrounded by the Alps, called prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata).
Sparkling wine is created by carbonating wine, resulting in a large, even bubbly and a distinctly different drinking experience. While MCC and prosecco offer more refined effervescence, many people enjoy the more exciting fizz of sparkling wines and the sweetness created when its bubbles pop on the palate.
Still battling to decide which to choose? This might help: a glass of prosecco contains only about 80 calories, while a glass of MCC or champagne contains around 130 calories, and a glass of sparkling wine can contain up to 200 calories!