On the Wine Side - Bubbly for All Thu, Apr 27, 23 April is a wrap, and I'm happy to report that each of the Wineology classes was full! We hope to see many more of you in the May classes. I had a lot of fun with the Sparkling Wines for Any & All Occasions class (which is also on May 24). We're getting into that time of year when there are lots of reasons to pop a bottle of bubbly - Mother's Day, weddings, graduations, baby showers, etc. Sparkling wine is a symbol of celebration that makes everyone sharing it happy. It's also very food friendly, so why not enjoy it any time? There are so many choices here, but one that is a standout for any and all occasions is the Divigna Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. The DOCG designation means it meets the the highest quality control standards for its area of production, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene area is a UNESCO Heritage Site for its natural beauty, which is steep hills - so steep that all vineyard work has to be done by hand. In addition, Divigna is a family-owned winery that grows organic grapes for its Prosecco. All of this would be nice but mean nothing if the wine itself wasn't delicious, and it is. It's nice and dry, clean and refreshing, and has lovely notes of stone fruit and citrus.It received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast, whose reviewer said, "Intense aromas of golden delicious apples, Anjou pear, lemon zest, white flowers, pink ginger, and crushed rock. The palate has a slight lemon pith note that balances out the fruity notes of the wine. A very tasty Prosecco!"And, to top it all off, the price is a winner, too: $18.73 for Club Card members, and an extra 10% off each bottle if you mix this with 6 or more "Sourced and Certified" wines and spirits. Now THAT's cause for celebration!To close, here are some Prosecco cocktails you could make with the Divigna, too... Classic SpritzFill a wine glass with ice. Add equal parts Villa Cardea Aperitivo and Prosecco. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with a slice of fresh orange. SgroppinoAnother cocktail that hails from Venice, like the Spritz, and is especially good after dinner. To make a single serving, put a scoop of lemon sorbet, 1oz of cold vodka, and 2oz of Prosecco in a cocktail shaker. Shake gently and pour into a large wine glass. Garnish with lemon zest if desired.If you want to make it extra lemony, you can add a splash of Villa Cardea Limoncello. Franco-Italian 75I call this a "happy cocktail." It's one of my favorites. Make it for 2 as you'll either want to share or you'll want a second for yourself. Into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 4oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice (only the real thing will do) and 4oz gin. Shake gently and divide between two champagne flutes. Top with Prosecco. By Tyler Duma
