Celebrate Fall with Sparkling Wine and a Tradition of Quality
Effervescent, diverse and flavourful, Prosecco DOC has never been so popular in Quebec. Usually served in celebrations and cocktail parties, this affordable sparkling white wine has everything it takes to stand as the perfect pairing for Italy’s iconic dish—pizza!
This dry and slightly fruity wine has been enjoyed for centuries throughout the Italian Peninsula. Sparkling white wine has been gathering worldwide momentum, so much so that it now stands among the top products associated with the Italian art of living, especially among new generations seeking products that offer quality and affordability.
During the Prosecco e Pizza event hosted at Montreal’s Fiorellino restaurant on October 19, author, columnist and speaker Guénaël Revel, aka Monsieur Bulles, will be present to explain the virtues underlining Prosecco and pizza pairings: “The acidity of the tomato sauce highlights a mosaic of flavours that awaken the wine’s fruity features. The creamy texture of the cheese on the pizza blends seamlessly with the texture and density of Processo wines. Also, because Prosecco is a white wine flecked with a nice minerality, the combination of flavours from the pizza toppings strikes a delicious balance,” explains Guénaël Revel.
Some pizza toppings pair better with certain varieties of Prosecco. For instance, brut Prosecco pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, mortadella, eggplant-zucchini, or cheese and pepper pizzas, while Margherita, Napolitan, Vongola or four-cheese pizzas are the preferred choice to heighten the flavours of dry or extra-dry Prosecco. All reasons are good to experience this culinary cultural immersion of crispy and sparkling delights that are fun, fast and festive.
Pizza: Tradition and Authenticity
Pizza is arguably one of the world's most consumed dishes. This said, Italians know that pizza is not truly authentic unless it is made with Italian ingredients and according to ancestral craftsmanship. The difference is in the flour, the cheese, the tomatoes and the oil (especially right out of the oven). These ingredients form the foundation of any pizza worthy of Italy's long-standing tradition of quality.
This in fact explains the sprouting of a national movement seeking protection from UNESCO in order to establish that only pizza topped with ingredients protected by their own designation of origin can be called “authentic” Italian pizza. The good news is that all of these ingredients are available in Quebec, whether in speciality stores or supermarkets. Pay attention, ask around and look for labels marked “PDO” (Protected Designation of Origin) or “PGI” (Protected Geographical Indication). Eight million pizzas are eaten every day in Italy alone!
Prosecco DOC at a glance
Prosecco DOC is an effervescent Italian white wine, mainly obtained from grapes of the Glera variety, and produced in five provinces in Venetia and four provinces in Friuli Venezia Giulia. Dating back many centuries in the Italian Peninsula, this sparkling wine has gained significant worldwide momentum since the end of the new millennium with the rise in popularity of effervescent cocktails.
It received its protected designation in 2009, thus recognizing and regulating a geographical area spanning over 20,000 hectares, grape varieties, as well as viticulture, winemaking and bottling practices. In 2016 alone, over 400 million bottles produced in these magnificent regions of Northern Italy were put on the market.
There are three varieties of Prosecco DOC, each of which has a distinctive residual sugar content: brut, extra dry and dry. Prosecco DOC is always fresh, floral, lively and fruity, with a long finish. Its flavours take you back to those of apples, peaches and pears, with a lightly acidic, lemony taste, sometimes punctuated with hints of tropical fruit.
About the Prosecco e Pizza event
The Prosecco e Pizza event was organized by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada for the Consorzio di Tutela denominazione di origine controllata Prosecco DOC and the promotional campaign "The Extraordinary Italian Taste", which aims to raise awareness among consumers and encourage them to appreciate authentic Italian products. Several varieties of Prosecco DOC and pizzas, whose basic ingredients were all Italian imports, were served during the evening held on October 19 at Fiorellino restaurant located in Montreal's International District, alongside special guests such as Guénaël Revel and Pasquale Vari.