Prosecco v Prosecco

[Roberto_Rogness]

That style of lees aged Prosecco is called Col Fondo and is all the rage right now, both because it is delicious and that it is riding the coattails of the natural wine movement.

[Oliver_McCrum]

@Tvrtko C.

I don’t really have any clear-cut preferences that might be expressed in terms of Brut vs Extra Dry. To me it really depends on the winemaker and on the specific wine. BTW, I feel the same way about what might be defined as an increasing emphasis on zero dosage in Champagne over the last 10-15 years, which, as I have noticed, is often claimed to be driven by a desire for greater purity and terroir expression. It works for some wines, and for some others - not so much. I think the same is probably true of Prosecco.

Edit: it also depends a lot on whether I’m just using the Prosecco as an aperitif or, if not, what I’m eating with it. Frozza’s Colbertaldo Brut, a beautifully precise, articulate and gracefully energetic wine, worked fabulously with some maki yesterday: very difficult to imagine a better match. I don’t think the Col dell’Orso Extra Dry (otherwise one of the best Extra Dry Prosecco that money can buy, if you ask me) would have worked as well.

I suppose my main point is that one shouldn’t assume XD is inferior in quality Prosecco because it’s inferior in Champagne, because Champagne and Prosecco are very different wines. That said, my Sorelle Bronca XD is very close to the Brut/XD line, and drier than it used to be at around 13g/L (I would bet that’s about the same as the Veuve sold in this market). I agree with you about very low dosage Champagne, some of it seems more about the trend than the amount of pleasure it gives.

Most top-quality Prosecco is XD or even ‘Dry,’ for example Cartizze bottlings, and IMO there is a good reason for that.

Frozza is excellent, too.

[Tvrtko_C]

Point taken about Cartizze (and the like) and XD. When I think about it that way, yes, that sounds about right.
I didn’t know about the Sorelle Bronca Brut and XD being separated by such a narrow analytical margin, but, having tasted several bottles of their different wines within the last year or so, it does make sense when I look back.
(Frozza is my favourite. There are a number of other producers I like a lot (including Sorelle Bronca), but Frozza just really hits the spot for me. Have you tasted their still wine? Brilliant stuff - )

[Oliver_McCrum]

In theory, Brut is from 0-12 g/L, Extra Dry is 13-17, but you’re allowed 3g/L leeway.

Frozza is very good, I quite agree.