How to beat the great Prosecco shortage
Our favourite Italian fizz may run dry this summer. But don’t panic: we’re here to help
FIzzy, delicious and (not least) usually far cheaper than Champagne, it’s no wonder we Brits drink more Prosecco than the Italians do. But it’s running out — or so say producers of the sparkling wine from north- east Italy, who this month revealed that heavy rains last year resulted in the worst grape harvest for 50 years.
We won’t know how bad the situation is until August, when the Prosecco brokers release their stock, but whatever happens, prices will go up.
The news has sparked panic-buying of existing stocks — the Co-op told me that since news of the threatened shortage broke, they’ve sold three times as many bottles as usual.
If you, as many do, reach for a lovely affordable bottle of Prosecco at the slightest hint of a celebration, it might be worth knowing some alternatives.
of course, Champagne can be delicious, but part of the attraction of Prosecco is its price, as well as its easy drinkability — it’s usually less acidic and slightly sweeter than Champagne.
doC Prosecco (the proper stuff from an area around Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia) is made from the Glera grape (Champagne is a blend of three).
Unlike Champagne, which undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, Prosecco is fermented in large steel tanks, and can be either Spumante (fizzy) or Frizzante (semi-sparkling).
So if the worst happens and the Prosecco runs dry, what else can you drink without breaking the bank? finest* PIGNOLETTO NV 75cl, £8.99, Tesco. IF yoU’re set on Italian fizz, Tesco has just the thing at just the price: a littleknown, gently sparkling wine called Pignoletto, after the grape it comes from. Made 200 miles from the Prosecco region in emilia-romagna, it’s smooth, with peach and pear flavours. ALLINI ARESTEL CAVA Brut NV 75cl, £4, Lidl. THe Spanish fizz Cava can be a good alternative if you choose carefully (it can just be sugary, flavourless fizz if you pick a bad one). Unlike Prosecco, it’s made in the same way as Champagne — fermented in the bottle rather than in a big tank — which means it’s toastier, creamier and has smaller bubbles than those in Prosecco.
It’s becoming increasingly popular — Lidl say sales are up nearly 40 per cent year on year — and this one recently won a Silver medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2015. FREEMAN’S BAY MARLBOROUGH SPARKLING SAUVIGNON BLANC 2014 75cl, £8.99, Aldi. THIS bottle of bubbles from new zealand won a Bronze in this year’s International Wine Challenge (IWC). It’s dry and aromatic, with notes of lime, gooseberry and passion fruit. BAREFOOT REFRESH CRISP WHITE 75cl, rrp £6.99, most supermarkets. one of the attractions of Prosecco is that it’s relatively low in alcohol, at around 11-12 per cent, and this new Californian fizz is lower still, at 9 per cent. refreshing and fruity, it’s a good one for day-time drinking or mixed with orange juice for brunch. TRULY IRRESISTIBLE CAVA BRUT RESERVA 75cl, £6.99, The Co-op. AnoTHer nice Cava, this took Bronze at this year’s International Wine Challenge and is made from the three grape varieties Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. The ‘Brut’ refers to the low sugar levels, which make it taste dry rather than sweet. GRAHAM BECK THE RHONA BLANC DE BLANCS 2010 75cl, £13, M&S. THIS dry, sparkling wine made from Chardonnay grapes in South Africa won silver medals at both the IWC and decanter Awards this year and is great for a party.
VILARNAU BRUT CAVA £11.99 for 75cl, ocado. A SILVer medal winner at the 2010 IWC, it i s made from a blend of Macabeo, Parellada and Chardonnay grapes which are blended, bottled and aged for two years. It makes the most delicious aperitif.