Something a little different

Fancy a light, bright, Asti-type sparkling wine? The Prosecco grape, grown about 40 miles north of Venice, produces a somewhat bitter and acidic white wine, but the real magic is that when it is made in a sparkling, or more accurately ''spumante'' style, the wine''s tartness is softened into a slightly sweet, lightly frizzante bubble, and the result is quite simply a refreshing, light, ''fun'' sparkling wine. There are two types, and where possible, the ''superiore'' grade is just that little bit better. Several retailers stock a Prosecco in the sparkling wine section, Majestic being one (click on the ''purchase wine'' button and use the link to go to Majestic.



Incidentally, in Italy, making one''s own Prosecco for home consumption takes on the same gravitas as growing prize chrysanthemums, and different examples are tasted among friends and their merits debated for weeks.







Wine Basics

About Wine Types (Varietals) Varietal is one word you''ll see applied to most non-European wines; it simply refers to the grape variety used to make the wine. In Europe, the finest wines are usually named after the region (the other is appellation) in which the grapes are grown; examples include Bordeaux, Chianti, Piesporter, Champagne, etc. In most of the rest of the world (including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and the United States) the finest wines are usually labeled with the name of the grape variety that the wine is made from (i.e.: Cabernet, Chardonnay, etc). The Europeans have had hundreds of years to determine which grapes grow best in which regions, and they often have regulations controlling their labeling.



For example, Pinot Noir is the only red grape allowed to be grown in most of the Burgundy region. As non-European countries establish reputations for the wines of certain regions, they often add the region''s name to the varietal name; for example, Napa Valley Cabernet, Russian River Pinot Noir. Serious wine-producing countries and states regulate the amount of a particular grape that must be present before the wine can flaunt that grape''s name. In California and Washington any wine referred to by the name of the grape (Chardonnay, for example) must be at least 75% of that grape; most varietals in Oregon must be 90% of the named grape; and Alsace requires 100%.