The Astoria Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry Prosecco Millesimato 2012 is sourced from Glera grapes grown on estate vineyards on the hillsides overlooking the Crevada river near the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the Treviso province of Veneto, Italy. This is the heart of the Prosecco district and the wines grown here are rated DOCG, which is the highest Italian quality rating. Millesimato translates to vintage (this one is a 2012), if you notice most Prosecco on the sold on the shelves are non-vintage. Non-vintage wines allow the producer to keep a “house” style and minimizes fluctuations in grape quality from harvest to harvest. If the winery thinks there is an outstanding harvest they will produce a millesimato Prosecco. Astoria was founded in 1987 by a wine-making family with generations of experience. Prosecco is produced with the Charmat Method, which indicates the 2nd fermentation (where bubbles are added) occur in large pressurized stainless-steel vats (here, the 2nd fermentation lasts 4 to 6 weeks). Remember, Extra Dry actually means a little on the sweet side. The alcohol content is 11.5%.
The color is almost clear with a golden tint and loads of tiny, energetic bubbles. The is very pretty, roses, spring blossoms, apricots, lemons, peach and lime. This is a bright and fruity Bubbly with balanced acidity. It tastes of lemons, a hint of lime, green apple and pink grapefruit. The finish is long and sleek.
The Astoria DOCG Extra Dry Millesimato is a wonderful Prosecco, nuanced, tasty and balanced. The funny think about Sparkling wines is that wine buyers will routinely spend a great deal of money on a bottle of Champagne, but they will not spend a large amount on any other type of Bubbly. That leaves all other Sparkling wines in the middle to lower price range. Therefore, well-crafted, boutique Sparkling wines (other than Champagne) are priced only a few dollars more than mass-produced Bubbles. Again, follow your taste-buds, if Asti Spumante or Barefoot Bubbly do it for you, fine. But if you are looking for quality Bubbles at comparatively bargain prices, there is a whole world of delicious Sparkling wines available and the Astoria Millesimato DOCG isn’t a bad place to start.
