What Does Prosecco Taste Like? (Wine Tasting Notes & Varieties)

Prosecco really is the drink of the moment, fizzy, fruity and fun no party or friday night is complete without a glass of prosecco or too.

But what does Prosecco taste like? And why does Prosecco taste the way that it does? Well, let's find out, shall we?

What Does Prosecco Taste Like?

Prosecco is a sparkling wine that originates from Northeast Italy and typical Prosecco tasting notes include:

• Apple
• Honeysuckle
• Peach
• Melon
• and Pear

Prosecco wines have a vibrant level of fizz, with lots of crisp green apple and lemon acidity and mouth watering fruity flavours such as honeydew melon and white peach blossom. 

But what actually is Prosecco?

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is a sparkling white wine made in the Veneto wine making region of Italy using a grape called Glera. 

Whereas a lot of Sparkling wines, such as Champagne and Cremant, are fermented in their bottles, Prosecco undergoes its fermentation process in a large tank.

This tank method results in lots of large, frothy bubbles and helps to preserve the fruity aromatics of the Glera grape in the glass. 

So what's the best way to serve Prosecco?

How to Serve Prosecco?

Prosecco is a drink best served cold, so try and chill your Prosecco down to about 6-8°C (43-47°F) before serving.

Not only will this help to highlight all of those lovely fruity aromatics of the wine, cooling your Prosecco down will also help to keep the fizz in check as you open the bottle. 

Related Guide: How Long Does Prosecco Last?

Serve your Prosecco in flute or small tulip glasses.

This will help to keep your Prosecco sparkling for as long as possible and also help you get most of the delicious vibrant flavours of the wine. 

So how does Prosecco differ from Champagne?

Champagne vs. Prosecco

Whilst both Champagne and Prosecco are sparkling wines, they tend to taste very different. This is because they are made using different grapes and methods in different regions, which all impact the taste of the wine.

Their main differences are:

• Champagne is made in North France whereas Prosecco is made in Italy.

• Prosecco is made predominantly with the Glera grape as opposed to the seven traditional Champagne grapes.

• Prosecco also undergoes its fermentation in a large tank, as opposed to an individual bottle.

So how does this impact the flavour of Prosecco?

Related Guide: Prosecco Vs Moscato

And do all Proseccos taste the same?

6 Types of Prosecco and Tastes

Prosecco tends to get labelled in accordance with its level of sweetness, so let's take a look at how this will affect flavour:

1. Brut Nature/Zero

Zero sugar by name, zero sugar by flavour.

This is a very dry style of Prosecco with lots of crisp acidity.

2. Extra Brut

This style of Prosecco is still very dry with only the slightest hint of sweetness, think biting into a ripe and juicy green apple.

3. Brut

Although further up the sweetness chart, this is still technically a dry style of Prosecco.

Some sugar will be present in the glass but this sweetness tends to be balanced out with lots of lemon and lime acidity.

4. Extra Dry

A little bit of residual sugar will be detectable in this style, think sweet peach and aromatic honeysuckle.

5. Dry/Demi Sec

This is when all the fruit present in Prosecco really starts to taste quite candied. Think sugared pear drops and sweet peach flavoured candies. 

6. Sweet/Dolce

The perfect drink for those with a sweet tooth.

Sweet honeydew melon and lemon curd sear through this style of Prosecco.

Food Pairings with Prosecco and Why Tastes Compliment

Typical food pairings that go well with Prosecco include:

• Lots of salty aperitifs such as olives, almonds, cured meat and cheese.

• Prosecco also goes fantastically with fresh seafood and light, citrusy fish dishes. 

• The fizz and the vibrant citrus of Prosecco goes really well with light and delicate foods and courses.

Because of Prosecco’s fruity and fun flavours, it makes an excellent accompaniment for the beginning of a meal, helping to get your palate primed and ready for the other courses. 

Related Guide: How Many Calories In Prosecco?

How the Prosecco Production Process Influences Its Taste?

Prosecco doesn’t taste the way it does by accident.

In fact, the methods associated with Prosecco production all contribute to its eventual flavour.

You see, by fermenting the Prosecco wine in a large tank outside of the bottle this helps to keep the dead yeast cells that form during fermentation away from the wine. 

As a result Prosecco has lots of vibrant, fruit aromas as opposed to Champagne life flavours associated with having time on lees in the bottle. 

So there you have it!

Everything you need to know about what Prosecco tastes like and why it tastes the way it does. Now to grab a glass and taste for yourself!

Before You Go...

We hope this article answers all your questions on what Prosecco tastes like.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments, or email us at info@expertwinestorage.co.uk

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