Bortolotti Castel de Dona Prosecco 2013
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Enjoy with fish and seafood dishes, cured meat, fruit. Delicate pasta and rice dishes.
Indeed, this has always been the philosophy of one of the longest established companies in the Valdobbiadene, founded in 1947 by Umberto Bortolotti, an outstanding figure in local enology who loved his native region and who was one of the founders of the National Exhibition of Sparkling Wines and Prosecco Brotherhood.
While there are two areas in the Prosecco (now DOCG), the Valdobbiadene is considered to be the superior of the two thanks to its rolling hills and elevations around 300 meters above sea level, giving more elegant, aromatic wines with better structure.
The Bortolotti family has carefully selected a group of viticulturists within the Valdobbiadene appellation over the years, so that only grapes of the highest quality are vinified – all farmers practice organic methods of viticulture. The consortium of the appellation releases an agronomical bulletin to inform the viticulturists regarding the danger of diseases/ pests. Only organic fertilizers, copper and sulfur-based products are used for insect and disease control. In the majority of the vineyards, natural cover crops (grass cover) are left between the rows of vines to aid fertilization. SO2 is used within the limits of the Italian regulation to preserve the wines.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
One of the world’s most popular and playful sparkling wines, Prosecco is a specialty of northeastern Italy, spanning nine provinces of the Veneto and Fruili-Venezia Giulia regions. A higher-quality version of Prosecco wine that must meet more stringent production requirements is known as Prosecco Superiore and must come from the more rugged terrain between the towns of Valdobiaddene and Conegliano. Prosecco can be produced as a still wine, a semi-sparkling wine (“frizzante”), or a fully sparkling wine (“spumante”)—the latter being the most common. While Prosecco wine is typically produced in a “brut” (dry) style, its fresh and fruity character makes it seem a bit sweeter than it actually is. “Extra dry” styles, incorporating higher levels of residual sugar, are quite popular, however.
Prosecco wine is made from the Glera grape, which was formerly and confusingly called Prosecco, these wines are notable for pleasant flavors of peach, pear, melon, green apple, and honeysuckle. Lower pressure during the carbonation process (also called the tank method) means that the bubbles are lighter and frothier than in Champagne or other traditional method sparkling wine, and less persistent. Prosecco is also a great choice to blend with orange juice for mimosas for a classic brunch beverage.