Exceptional Asolo Prosecco DOCG Superiore, a Step Up From Most Prosecco

Exceptional Asolo Prosecco DOCG Superiore, a Step Up From Most Prosecco
May 23, 2024

While you may be familiar with the fresh and friendly bottles that line your grocery store shelves, not all Prosecco are created equal. The very best Prosecco captures the essence of the Veneto, the Northeastern Italian countryside from where it comes, redolent of golden apple and pear, fragrant with white flowers and notes of citrus, crisp with a mineral vein, and a lingering finish, all through an effervescent bubble stream. In recent years, Prosecco has been upgraded through a quality ladder, from Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) to Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), with the upper rungs of Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) dedicated to more delineations and controls in quality and quantity, separating the cheap and cheerful from the elegant and refined wines.

From one of the top tier Prosecco regions in Italy, Asolo Prosecco DOCG over delivers on quality. Considered a Cru Prosecco, its identity is defined by so many factors, renowned for its elegant bubbles, attractive freshness and marked tanginess. Asolo Prosecco is a perfect food wine, the “gastronomic” label fits as its salty minerality compliments many dishes extremely well. A step above the rest, these Prosecco wines are an affordable luxury, and are serious contenders for some of the best sparkling wines out there.

Courtesy of Consorzio Asolo Prosecco

An hour inland and northwest of Venice, the town of Asolo represents the heart of the Prosecco DOC production. Located within the province of Treviso and next to the famed Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG, steep hillsides yield some of the best vineyard sites, the white limestone soils imparting the unique taste and character of Asolo Prosecco, a salty, loamy mineral aftertaste only found here. Prosecco has been made for a very long time in this area, mostly consumed by the locals in bulk, but now its high quality bottlings have created a worldwide demand.

Courtesy of Consorzio Asolo Prosecco

Asolo Prosecco DOCG is the fourth largest Italian sparkling wine appellation, with 64 wineries producing 27.5 million bottles from 2200 hectares, of which 60% is exported. These are boom times for Asolo Prosecco DOCG, which has doubled its production in the past five years. If you look at the numbers, you can see it has captured the world’s palate; within ten years time, it has gone from 1.7 million bottles to 27.5 million bottles, reflecting a thirst for elegant Prosecco wines that can be drunk anytime and anywhere.

Courtesy of Consorzio Asolo Prosecco

The secret to Asolo Prosecco’s success? Centuries of winemaking expertise and traditions practiced by small family-run wineries bring out the very best of the Glera grape. Heroic viticulture is the norm here, the steep hillside vineyards populated by old vines require hands-on attention, making hand harvesting necessary and ultimately beneficial to selecting only the finest grapes. Although a minimum of 85% Glera is legally required for Prosecco, other historic local varieties are grown and up to 15% can be added, Bianchetta Trevigiana from the 16th century, Verdiso and Perera from the 18th century and Glera Lunga from the mists of time, only recently recognized. The rugged landscape, made up of two types of soil, white limestone and red clay, is buffeted by winds blowing from the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, subject to diurnal temperature swings which develop the wine’s aromas and allow a variety of styles to be produced. And although the Continental climate with Mediterranean influences has changed, with hotter summers, Asolo is sheltered by its mountainous contours and maritime effects, keeping the wines fresher, yet making richer and rounder wines. The higher elevation and low yields bring a concentration and character to the wines. An emphasis is put on biodiversity, with vineyards only making up 6% of the land, and forests inhabiting 29% of the hills.

Courtesy of Consorzio Asolo Prosecco

Town of Asolo, Courtesy of iStock Photos

Asolo has been recognized for its excellent wines since the 14th century, its history and culture originating in Roman times. The Rocca, or fortress, was built between the 12th and 13th centuries, and that has become the logo for Asolo Prosecco. In 2009, the DOCG designation was bestowed on the wines. Asolo will soon become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, due to its rich heritage and beauty.

Asolo Prosecco is made in many different styles, correlating to the grams per liter of residual sugar (g/l RS), which offers a wide array of choices. The majority produced, 68%, is Extra Dry with 12-17 g/l RS, which has sweetness balanced with acidity, with stone fruit aromas and richness on the palate. Brut makes up 20% of the production, less than 12 g/l RS, with a stone fruit and citrus character. Extra Brut, at 6% of production has 6 g/l RS, making a racy, acid-driven wine with citrus and mineral notes. In fact, Asolo Prosecco DOCG was the first to include an Extra Brut style in 2014. Dry is the sweetest, with 17-32 g/l RS, making up 5%, balanced by bright acidity. And the Sui Lieviti, only 1% of production, is unusual, in that the second fermentation happens inside the bottle, and is not disgorged, yielding a cloudy color and yeasty character.

The Dry, Extra Dry, Brut and Extra Brut are made by Metodo Martinotti, the classic tank method. The Sui Lieviti and Niche production wines are made Metodo Tradizionale, the traditional method for sparkling wines. The essence of Asolo Prosecco is elegant bubbles, a floral and fruity bouquet, accompanied by a subtle and refreshing vegetal vein. Crisp acidity integrates the delicate apple, pear and citrus fruit palate, while notes of white blossom, hints of herbs, and that pervasive salinity come together in a refined, well balanced and high quality sparkling wine.

Studio Cru Communications of Italy gave me the opportunity to explore these fabulous wines in a Zoom presentation headed by Alessandro Marchesan, a native of Asolo and wine marketing consultant and sommelier. Six Asolo Prosecco DOCG wines were presented, all 100% Glera, and holy smokes, so very intriguing! Since Alessandro was involved in the restaurant business, he offered many insights to the wines and ideas for food pairings.

Case Paolin “Col Fondo” Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Sui Lieviti Brut Nature 2022 is a certified organic wine, made sur lie and with skin contact maceration, giving it texture and almost a tannic sensation. This is a rich, intense, and elegant wine, with a crisp backbone, slightly cloudy in appearance due to contact with the lees, the nose is yeasty and toasty, the palate weaves yellow fruit and notes of jasmine tea on the aftertaste. A perfect pairing for Lobster Roll, or Beef Tartare, according to Alessandro.

Bresolin “Benny” Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Brut NV is an organic wine that is salty, mineral and savory, with texture and viscosity due to extended gentle maceration. The phenolic ripeness of the grapes yields richness, flavor and texture, instead of sweetness. Aromas of peach blossom, wild rose and passion fruit accompany flavors of apple, grapefruit and pineapple, a perfect pair with prawns, fish, cured and white meats.

Giusti Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut is Alessandro’s favorite, with a more tropical fruit character, due to more red clay in the vineyard soils. Persistent bubbles percolate with aromas of passion fruit and nectarines, a riper but different type of minerality swirls around apple and citrus fruit flavors, finishing long. This is a good choice for an aperitif and continuing throughout a meal.

Bele Casel Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry 2022 is a textbook style sparkler, rich and intense, fresh with a creamy texture, and a very long mineral aftertaste, with aromas of golden apple and grapefruit. Pairs extremely well with Japanese, Chinese and Indian food (the acidity can cope with spices) as well with Mac and Cheese, prosciutto and bruschetta.

La Gioiosa Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry Millesimato 2022 is perhaps the best known of these Prosecco wines. For me, my favorite, excellent and elegant in a rich style, more tropical, with notes of white flowers, not as salty, but so very high quality with exuberant bubbles, although the finish is not as long as some of the others. Perfect as an aperitif, and with fish courses.

Le Terre Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Millesimato Dry 2022 is a sweeter, richer style, like a sparkling Gewurztraminer, with a dry honey aftertaste, so well balanced and integrated. Perfect with desserts, especially creme brulée and panna cotta.

Alessandro explained that Asolo Prosecco has improved due to better know-how, and discovering different techniques, as the new generation of winemakers travel the world, learning from their peers in different parts of the planet. All of these high quality Prosecco wines are mostly under $20, between 11-12.5% alcohol, and some, like La Gioiosa, are widely available. Asolo Prosecco DOCG represents a luxury that you can afford to indulge in everyday, and are a step up in quality.