The Little Book of Prosecco Tips by Andrew Langley

While casually strolling through the library, on the hunt for a random book to dive into, I stumbled upon this adorable little pink book. It's all about Prosecco and serves up bite-sized info. So, I figured, why not read up on it and gather some fascinating facts about Prosecco?

Hence, here we go!

Prosecco = Fun

Apparently Prosecco is a cheerful sparkling wine that's meant to be enjoyed. Honestly, I haven't had a sip of it myself, but a colleague insists that I'll be high if I try it in a champagne glass for the first time. Hmm, I really should give it a shot when the opportunity arises, just to see if it lives up to its description of "stimulates the appetite without overloading the palate."

Superiore di Cartizze > DOCG > DOC > IGT

Here's how you distinguish between various Prosecco types, with Superiore di Cartizze as the jackpot as it's very rare, and IGT as the most budget-friendly and lower-quality option. I'll definitely be checking the label next time I come across one.

Steps on preparing the Prosecco before drinking (for a more intellectual taste)

1. Chill the Prosecco well before drinking it (3 hours in fridge at 6-9°C)
2. Handles bottles of Prosecco gently to prevent the shock of the extreme cold to spoil the taste and fizz
3. Only chill Prosecco if you're going to drink it fairly soon as the very cold air spoils the flavour and dries out the corks.

Prosecco is named after the village of Prosecco

Prosecco is named after the village of Prosecco, following the tradition of wines named after specific geographical locations. Interestingly, the primary grape variety used in crafting Prosecco shares the same name, 'Prosecco.' However, the Italian government has restricted the use of the name 'Prosecco' to the specific region where it's produced, opting to call the grape variety 'Glera.' I'm guessing that this decision could be aimed at preserving the local identity of Prosecco, detached from the broader implications of grape harvesting.

Use Tulip shaped glass to drink Prosecco

A wider, more bowl shaped glass allows the wine to breathe better than a flute.

Tips from opening, pouring, drinking to storage

1. Point it at the ceiling. Remove the foil and untwist the wire muzzle. Gently twist the bottle (not the cork), and the cork should come out with a quiet pop and hiss.
2. If the cork refuses to move, encourage it by pushing the wide lip upwards with your thumbs.
3. Once opened, tilt the glass and fill it by sliding the wine down the side without any splashing. This is to prevent wastage from overfrothing glasses.
4. Hold your glass by the stem or the base when drinking. This helps the wine to stay chilled and fizzy.
5. Re-seal the half-drunk bottle with a hinged bubble stopper or with cling film secured by a rubber band and keep in the fridge. It could stay fizzy for up to a week.

Ideal base for cocktails

1. Grandaddy - Spritz Veneziano: bitter Italian drink (Campari, Aperol or Cynar) + Prosecco + sparkling mineral water + 1 orange slice in a big wine glass
2. Classic - Bellini: 1 part ripe chilled white peaches puree + 2 parts Prosecco in an old fasshioned champagne glass
   1. Rossini: use strawberry puree
   2. Puccini: use mandarin juice
   3. Tintoretto: use pomegranate juic
3. Antique - Sgroppino (to loosen up stomach after a heavy second course): 2 scoops lemon sorbet + 1 slug vodka + Prosecco -> Stir very gently until just pourable
4. French 77: 1 tbsp elderflower liquer + juice of 1/2 lemon -> Swirl + Prosecco + lemon zest twist
5. Classic mistake - Sbagliato: equal parts of Campari, Red Vermouth and Prosecco over ice + 1 orange slice
6. Simplest - Mimosa: equal parts of Prosecco (first) + fresh chilled orange juice
7. Strawbeery and Prosecco sorbet: Cooled syrup of 250g of sugar and 125ml of water + 450g of hulled strawberries + 2 glasses of Prosecco -> Mix until smooth -> Freeze
8. Italian version of Black Velvet - Velluto Italiano: 2 parts Italian beer (Birra Moretti or Birra del Borgo) + 1 part Prosecco

What to drink in different weathers

1. Hot day: Summer fruit cocktail
   1. Crush blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and mint leaves in a jug.
   2. Add a dollop of Cassis and stir it all together.
   3. D0le out into glasses and put a slug of vodka and some ice in each.
   4. Finally, top up with Prosecco
2. Cold day: Fizzy winter warmer
   1. Shake up a slug of whisky, a dash of Chartreuse, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 teaspoon of honey
   2. Strain -> Top up with Prosecco

When and What to cook with Prosecco

1. When to use Prosecco in cooking
   1. Drink Prosecco with a dish
      1. Extra Dry perfectly suits soft cheeses and poultry
   2. Cooking a dish that can be easily spoiled by using low-grade wine
2. What to cook with Prosecco
   1. Chicken
      1. In a casserole, brown floured chicken pieces and pancetta in olive oil.
      2. Saute halved shallots, 1 chopped red chilli and rosemary.
      3. Add a bottle of Prosecco to the chicken and cook gently for 30 minutes.
      4. Season to taste :>
   2. Mignonette sauce for oysters
      1. Mix equal proportions of white viegar and chopped shallots
      2. After 10 minutes, stir in another equal part of Prosecco
      3. Pour sparingly on shucked oysters
      4. Expect sweetness that complements the oysters
   3. Fondue
      1. Gently warm 225ml of Brut Prosecco with 1 tbsp of cornflour in a pan
      2. Stir in 220g of Brie (or similar soft cheese)
      3. Add pinches of nutmeg and cinnamon, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, a slug of schnapps
   4. Butter sauce for roast fish
      1. Simmer 3 minced shallots in 1/2 bottle of Prosecco for 15 minutes
      2. Remove from the heat and whisk in 150g of butter, chunk by chunk
      3. Add ground pepper
      4. Perfect with salmon or cod fillet
   5. Zabaione
      1. Beat 5 eggs yolks over simmering water
      2. Add cinnamon, then Prosecco, drop by drop and beating constantly (~10 tbsp)
      3. Once creamy, remove from the heat and keep beating
      4. Spoon into glasses and add whipped cream
   6. Jelly
      1. Just like how you would make normal jelly but add Prosecco 😄
   7. Cheese
      1. Chop up the cheese and blend with Prosecco with a chunk of butter in a processor
      2. Whizz in chopped parsley, and enjoy with sandwiches

Recommendation for other sparklers

1. Cava: more robust than Prosecco, and can be used as a substitute in many cocktails
2. Cremant: French wine produced with same method. Classy smoothness and quality.
3. Reds: Lambrusco from Italy, Shiraz from Australia, and Pearl of Azerbaijan are all exciting possibilities.
4. American bubbly: Look out for sparklers from California, New York State and New Mexico
5. English: Used riper grapes -> High quality, dry and acidic

Last thing to take note of

1. Prosecco goes stale within 3 years, unlike vintage Champagne. So drink it as young as possible!
2. Keep bottles on their sids to prevent corks from drying out and shrinking. Ideally, store them in cool and steady temperature.
3. You can chill your Prosecco in 15 minutes if dumped into an icy slush.
4. Not all Prosecco is sparkling.
   1. Spumante = Sparkling
   2. Frizzante = Light fizzy
   3. Tranquillo = No bubbles

Stay tuned for more books review

Look forward to read more liquor and alcohol related books