It seems that more Italian Proseccos (the Other Bubbles) are entering the market every year, with the increased competition prompting producers to come up with a few new twists. That’s where one of the more established Italian Prosecco houses “Zonin” comes in.
Actually, the Dress Code is easy to understand; it has three variations to pick your style from. They are the White, the Grey and the Black (a little Gandalf here?). Each is unique, but with the dominant base varietal being the Glera grape. This can make the differences between them somewhat subtle.
This is because Zonin has added small amounts of three different blended-in sparkling wines (normally under 15%) to each, thus achieving some very interesting variations on a theme. Blending is what it is, a balancing act.
But for those who like Prosecco and enjoy it frequently, this can hit the spot for a summer get-together. Just line ‘em up, pass ‘em around, and solicit comments over a big spread of cheese and seafood appetizers.
For tasting, you might want to start with the White, which is overall more “Citrusy-Apple”. Then move on to the Grey, which is still citrusy but with a drier finish and a little more orange and pear. Finally, follow the whole thing up with the Black with its more complex lemon, floral garden greens, toast and honey.
Of course, you can do the whole thing in reverse or all at once. No matter what, Zonin has got to be having fun with this idea, and so will we.
Look for them online for around $15 each and soon at Total Wine, who already carries other Zonin Proseccos. Trader Joe’s may also carry it in the near future.
As for temperature, serve all of these totally chilled. These blends morph in the glass and truly open up nicely with the floral and honey notes arriving later.
