Sparkling wine: toast to the new year with a midnight pop.

Are you thinking about the New Year's Eve but still don’t know what to toast with for this big event?

We at Spaghetti & Mandolino know what you need, fasten your seatbelts and discover our proposals for a fabulous toast!

Sparkling Wine: Origins and Territory

What are the origins of sparkling wine? Sparkling wine originated in 1850 thanks to Carlo Gancia, a merchant specialized in wines who decided to experiment with the so-called "champenoise method" using grapes from the Piedmont region, specifically the white moscato.

It is also surprising to discover that sparkling wine has an ancient tradition. In fact, this tradition seems to date back to the Roman era, who are considered the actual inventors of sparkling wine.

But the historical references do not end here, as we find that sparkling wine also appears in the Bible. If we consider literary tradition, we cannot overlook illustrious figures like Virgil, Propertius, and Lucan, who have spent some words specifically discussing sparkling wine.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, therefore after the barbarian invasions, vines began to be cultivated only in monasteries since wine was produced solely to be consumed during religious functions.

The production of sparkling wine did not stop even during the Renaissance, when Giovanvittorio Sederni published a treatise on vine cultivation.

The production of sparkling wine in Italy is located all over the peninsula. In particular, the regions that produce sparkling wine include: Veneto (where we find Prosecco and Durello), as well as Abruzzo (with Montepulciano), Tuscany (producer of Pomino DOC), Lombardy (where you find Franciacorta DOCG - we have talked about the difference between Prosecco and Franciacorta), and also in Sicily (where the Etna DOC is produced). Calabria, Campania, Marche, Molise, Liguria, Trentino-Alto Adige, Piedmont, and Valle d'Aosta are also lands rich in vines that produce sparkling wine.

You should know that not all wines can be turned into sparkling wine. In fact, for wine to be sparkling, specific criteria for latitude, harvest techniques, and must vinification must be respected.

The wine is made sparkling through various methods, including the traditional method and the Charmat or Martinotti methods.

With the traditional method, sparkling wine is made according to very precise criteria. In this case, the wine is put in contact with second fermentation yeasts, and this is why it takes on aromas that can range from bread to croissants but may also have a delicate vanilla scent.

On the other hand, if the Charmat method is followed, the contact with yeasts is minimal, and thus they do not influence the production of sparkling wine.

Prosecco: Origins and Territory

Prosecco is a sparkling wine that has ancient origins and its history is directly linked to the regions where its roots lie.

Prosecco is made from a grape variety (Glera) cultivated with mastery and technique passed down from generation to generation, in Veneto,

The origins of Prosecco seem to date back to the Roman colonization. Virgil, passing through Triveneto, writes, “look how the wild vine, the lambrusca, has covered here and there the cave with its clusters.” Prosecco comes from a grape that is not officially from Triveneto, but seems to have been imported from other territories.

The most prestigious areas of Prosecco production are located between Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and Asolo. In these areas, it is indeed designated as “DOCG” (to further explore details about Prosecco and its various denominations, we wrote a mini-guide here).

DOCG stands for “Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin.” This ensures that the wine is produced in specific regions, with particular methods and meets quality standards.

Unlike sparkling wine obtained with the traditional method, to obtain Prosecco, the Charmat method must be followed. It is through this procedure that the famous bubbles are created!

The Charmat method differs from the traditional one in that the second fermentation occurs in a bottle instead of a barrel.

Prosecco usually deteriorates over time. Typically, the most vintage Prosecco can reach a maximum age of 3 years. After that, it will start losing its aroma and freshness.

Difference Between Prosecco and Sparkling Wine

Prosecco, even though it is often used improperly to refer to “sparkling wine”, is a designation that can only be produced in specific places (Veneto - Treviso province) while the term sparkling wine defines a category of wine that can be produced in various locations and with different grape varieties. Prosecco is, in fact, a sparkling wine, the most famous Italian sparkling wine abroad.

Thus, Prosecco, like all sparkling wines made using the Charmat method, undergoes a second fermentation to capture carbon dioxide inside the bottle. It is this process that creates the famous bubbles!

We recommend Prosecco for your dinner and for a grand finale, go for sparkling wine and make sure it is served cold! Didn’t have time to chill it? Discover our 4 methods to chill sparkling wine in under 30 minutes!