The Mionetto Rose’ Extra Dry is a proprietary blend of red grapes sourced from vineyards in both the Veneto and Trentino grape growing regions in northern Italy. Mionetto (founded in 1887) is well-known as a producer of Prosecco, but the Rose’ Extra Dry is not a Prosecco. A Prosecco is a very specific thing, it is a Sparkling wine (Spumante in Italian) made from the Glera grape using the Charmat Method. Up until a few years ago the grape was also known as Prosecco and they made the name change because somebody figured out that if another country started growing the Prosecco grape and turned those grapes into Sparkling wine, they too would call their wine Prosecco. The good folks in Prosecco spent too much time and money creating a very popular wine brand to allow some newcomer to move in on their success. So now, you can grow all the Glera grapes you want, it won’t be Prosecco unless it is grown and produced in Prosecco. You need grapes with plenty red color in the skins to make Rose‘, so that leaves Red grapes and occasional White wine grapes such as Pinot Grigio and Muscat/Moscato which can be red in color, the Glera grape will not work. ThIs Rose’ is also produced in the Charmat Method, that is where the 2nd fermentation (where the bubbles are added) occurs in huge pressurized vats or auto-claves, it is a quicker way of producing Bubbly than the Traditional Method used in Champagne and therefore less expensive, but still highly enjoyable. Extra Dry ( little sweet) is the way Italians prefer their Bubbly, but if the wine has enough acidity it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference between Extra Dry and Brut (not sweet). The alcohol content is a mild 11.5%.
The color is a watermelon red with a touch of amber, the bubbles are plentiful. The nose is hard strawberry candy, a touch of vanilla cream, black cherry and a little yeasty bread. This Bubbly has solid acidity and hints of ripe red berries. It starts with cherry flavored mineral water, but not watery, strawberry with light spice, and sweet, ripe raspberry. There really isn’t a mid-palate, what hits upfront lasts thru out the body of the wine. The bubbles and the acidity make this a very sippable wine, your glass will be empty before you know it.
The Mionetto Rose’ Extra Dry is a fun, party wine, of course you can drink it on a Tuesday evening, but it is right at home at a party. Easy-to-drink, maybe too easy you may need to buy more bottles than you originally planned and very tasty. This isn’t one of those thought-provoking Bubbles or a pair it with anything Sparkler, this is a good-time wine, which I suspect is exactly what Mionetto was intending.
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