Prosecco with Panache: Carpenè Malvolti 1868 Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

Anyone who has ever sipped a sickly sweet bargain Bellini at brunch knows that there's a seemingly endless supply of inferior Prosecco. But don't let that deter you - high quality Prosecco is NOT an urban legend and Carpenè Malvolti 1868 Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG ($18.99) is a great reminder of how lovely this Italian sparkling wine can be. Founded in 1868 by "the father of Prosecco" Antonio Carpenè, Carpenè Malvolti was the first winery in Italy to produce Prosecco as a sparkling wine and the first to label their wine Prosecco.

The name Carpenè Malvolti 1868 Extra Dry Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is a tongue twister for those of us that don't speak Italian but it contains some important information that describes the high quality of the wine in the bottle. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG exclusively refers to sparkling wines produced from the Glera grape in the hills of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene zone in northeast Italy near Venice and the Dolomites. The DOCG designation is reserved for Italy's highest quality wines.

So how does this superior quality Prosecco taste? I found Carpenè Malvolti 1868 Extra Dry Prosecco to have just a touch of sweetness and elegant flavors of white peach and pear that are balanced by supple acidity and a hint of creaminess. So if you've given up on Prosecco, Carpenè Malvolti could be the one that changes your mind. Cheers!