Light gold-green color; honeysuckle, pear, peach, citrus on the nose; peach, apple, some lemon-lime on the palate.
Classic, delicious Ruffino Prosecco. Very fine and persistent bubbles. Made with 100% glera grapes from assorted Valdobbiadene blocks. Extra-dry, which means a hint of sweetness (dry has less sweetness than extra-dry—I know it doesn’t make sense, but it is what it is in world of wine nomenclature). This has 18 g/L residual sugar (12-20 g/L is the range for extra dry). The coquettish flirtation with sweet makes this appealing to wide range of palates; it is dry enough to not offend those who embrace dry/brut and sweet enough to pleasure those who cannot fathom why dry/brut lovers crave that desert-dry austerity.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine made in northeastern Italy; the glera grape is the only or the main grape. Glera is a native variety with origins in the village of Prosecco, near Trieste and the Adriatic Sea. Historical references to the wine date back to 1772. The Prosecco DOC (Certification of Controlled Origin) was established in 2009, creating strict standards of quality and production; it includes nine provinces and two regions in northeastern Italy. The region is north of Venice; Trieste is the easternmost notable city.
The Ruffino story begins in the Tuscan town of Pontassieve, near Florence, and a small winery established by cousins Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino in 1877; by the 1880s, they were winning awards; by the 1960s Ruffino sold wines in more than 100 countries. Primarily known for their reds, particularly Chiantis and Super Tuscans, Ruffino recently moved into sparklings—making Moscato d’Asti in northwestern Italy’s Piedmont region and Prosecco in Italy’s northeastern Veneto region. They brought their attention to detail and focus on quality grapes to their sparklings, also a dedication for allowing the land and grapes to speak with minimal intervention in both the growing and winemaking.
This is delightful, dependable, classic Prosecco that shines as an apéritif; it also pairs with fish, shellfish, white meats, and pizza at great price point. $10-13
Second photo: Rufffino winery
