What's in My Glass Wednesdays! Moletto Prosecco

Yesterday, I reported on how to make modernized bellinis, so today I thought I'd feature Prosecco.  Prosecco is produced from the Italian Glero (or Prosecco) grapes.  Nowadays, it is primarily produced as an "Extra Dry" (12 - 20 g of sugar per Liter) or  "Brut" (<15 g of sugar per Liter) style.  [Please note that "Extra Dry" is sweeter than "Brut."]  The sweetness classification of sparkling wines is as follows:

Brut Natural/Brut Zero (<3 g of sugar per Liter)

Extra Brut (<6 g of sugar per Liter)

Brut (<15 g of sugar per Liter)

Extra Dry/Extra Sec (15 - 20 g of sugar per Liter)

Sec (17 - 35 g of sugar per Liter)

Demi-Sec (33 - 50 g of sugar per Liter)

Doux (>50 g of sugar per Liter)

What makes Prosecco great is its fresh acidity, sharp stone fruit flavors, and the ease with which to pair it with food.  Traditionally, Prosecco has often been looked at as a less expensive alternative to French Champagne. I'd have to say part of this is true.  Most Proseccos sell for $15 or less.  However, stylistically speaking, the 2 are quite different.

Moletto Prosecco

(Photo by author)

Prosecco 

(Photo from Google Images)

Moletto Prosecco

The D-2010 Scale 

Moletta Prosecco (Treviso, Italy)

Appearance (10 points possible): light, pale, straw yellow color with lots of bubbles - 10 points

Aroma/Bouquet (20 points possible): Fresh pears, light citrus and white peaches.  A touch of sur lie/yeast character. - 16 points

Taste (10 points possible):  Light, crisp acidity.  Fresh, solid bubbles spritz the palate.  A light citrus and pear flavor. - 8 points

Balance (5 points possible): Slightly acidic and bubbles are quite sharp.  I don't get much sweetness from this wine, but I wasn't expecting it. - 4 points

Finish (5 points possible): Lingering citrus flavors.  Fresh and crisp. - 4 points

Packaging *Introduction to the D-2010 Scale*

Quality of Package (5 points possible):  Dark, heavy glass.  Black capsule covering cork.  Traditional sparkling wine package. - 4 points

Label Marketability (10 points possible):  Label isn't eye catching.  The black and golden label is very traditional, and honestly, the only reason this bottle stood out to me was because there was a coupon attached to the neck of the bottle! - 5 points

Other (5 points possible):  Perhaps I should destroy this category because again, I have nothing special to note here. - 5 points

Total Points: 86 points

Overall Thought: I honestly only buy Prosecco when I want to make a sparkling wine cocktail (e.g. Belinnis, fruit ice-cubs + bubbly).  If I'm going for a less expensive sparkling wine, I'd pick up a bottle of Korbel.  However, the crisp acidity of Prosecco makes this a fantastic pairing wine.

Food Pairings:  We matched this with a steak salad.  That's a bit heavy probably for the Prosecco, but it was enjoyable nonetheless.  Pair this with chips and salsa, salads, or other odds and ends foods that require bubbles and fresh acidity.

Cost: $14.99

Splurge Factor (out of 4): 2 - Above the $10 and great category, but a good price for a bubbly nonetheless.

Where to buy:  I'm pretty sure you can find this brand of Prosecco anywhere - it's a very common label.  We found our bottle at the local liquor store.