La Gioiosa (Italy) Prosecco Spumante
It is always good to have a well-priced and easy-drinking fizz to hand at this time of year, as the festive party period beckons. This dry (well, maybe just off-dry) sparkling wine is made from the Prosecco grape. It comes from Valdobbiadene, the prime region for these wines, in the northeastern region of the Veneto. Prosecco is a hugely distinctive grape variety, bearing little relation to Champagne on the nose or palate. This example has aromas of flowers and pear-drops, with crisp notes of freshly-cut apple. On the palate it is lively and deliciously easy to drink, with a hit of intense, sweet fruit, before a dry, tangy finish that is flooded with gooseberry and grapefruit zest. With only 11% alcohol, it is an uncomplicated but delightful wine, ideal for lunchtime celebrations, or as a stylish pick me up for a late breakfast or Sunday brunch. Tesco, £5.49
