(2021) From Prosecco brand La Gioiosa, this is a zero alcohol, vegan drink made from grape must. The sparkle is added via an injection of carbon dioxide. The grape variety is not stated, but I'd be pretty sure it is Glera, the grape of Prosecco. The sparkle is very gentle, more frizzante than spumante, and aroma and flavour are both of pleasant fresh pears with some flattering sweetness in the finish. There's no mistaking this for wine, but it slips down easily as an alcohol-free alternative.
(2021) This blingy Prosecco comes in a metallic gold bottle, and while that may or may not appeal, I have to say the wine inside is a very nice, dry expression of a vintage-dated Prosecco. Extremely pale in colour, the mousse is foamy and fresh and the aromas are very summery: crisp pears and apples, but a little leafy, herbal hedgerow element too. In the mouth it is light and refreshing, with very good, crisp lemony acidity and a decent length too. Actually rather superior stuff, bling or not.
(2020) The new category of pink Prosecco launched a month ago and is already a smash hit. Wines must be vintage dated, and must use Pinot Noir alongside Glera in the blend. This is a very nice example, the mousse frothy and light, the fruit strawberryish and with a certain creamy bob-bon quality, then the palate is basically dry, but there's a strawberry sherbet tang, icing sugar and lemons running into the finish. Note it's down to £8.99 until 3rd January 2021 in Waitrose, and £9.99 on a 'mixed six' in Majestic.
(2019) I wrote recently about my tasting of the super-expensive Armand de Brignac Gold Brut Champagne, which comes in striking metallic bottle. Well, for Christmas 2019 those without the necessary £200 might consider this fun alternative, a limited edition sporting its own shiny gold party frock. There's no mistaking it for expensive Champagne, but it is a very nice rendition of Prosecco, a super-clean and fresh example, all cool pear fruit, touches of floral character and it is Brut, so not too much sweetness to finish. It's a bit of a gifting banker for Christmas with its glittery appeal, and it is down to £10.99 in Ocado from 4th December 2019 through until New Year's Day. Watch the video for more information.
(2019) Very pleasant sherbet and pear nose with a juicy apple freshness on this Extra Dry, with 15g/l of residual sugar. Nicely pitched palate too, with good balancing lemony acidity. A quality Prosecco from the flatter vineyards.
(2019) From the hillside Faè vineayrd, a zero dosage Prosecco that has direct, lemony aromas, tight and almost salty mineral notes. Because this is fermented totally dry, a special yeast is used to improve the minerality and length of the wine. The palate is very crisp, very racy, and though there’s a pithy lemon tartness, the clarity is fine, racy and quite long.
(2019) A fine mealy note, lemon zest and lemon rind, a touch of charming icing sugar lightness and touches of floral character. Even with 10gl of dosage it is dry to taste, very elegant with a raciness and a lovely fresh but not aggressive finish, with only 4 bars of pressure. I cannot see a UK retail listing for this wine at time of review.
(2019) Very fine, very racy, a golden delicious ripeness, then the 16g/l of sugar and a certain preachiness absorbed into the racy sherbet lemon clarity of the fruit and acidity. Balanced and a dry impression right in the finish, despite the sweetness being quite obvious mid-palate.
(2019) This organic vineyard is surrounded by forest, with no immediate vineyard neighbours, allowing them to farm organically with no danger of neighbour's synthetic chemicals drifting into the vineyard. 250 metres elevation on a very steep limestone slope. So different on the nose, a definite yeasty autolysis, such a pleasing breadth and depth of aroma and flavour, very fine mousse and a delicious length and balance. Peachy, but biscuity too thanks to extra time on the lees. No UK retail stockist at time of review.
(2019) Foamy, lemony and bright, with crisp and crunchy apple. A little bit of biscuity richness to this, and obvious sweetness from 25g/l residual sugar that gives a nectarine fruit sweetness. There is a good lemon and lime acidity and a nice saline touch that helps offset that, and gives a medium-sweet but not cloying finish that is very stylish.
