The NV Brut Prosecco Garbel mixes savory and sweet with a bouquet of crushed rocks and dusty dried flowers complementing hints of green melon. This is silky in feel without a hard edge in sight, as juicy acidity enlivens its candied citrus fruits. The Garbel takes on a tropical flair through the finale, mixing hints of kiwi with vivid young mango. The final takeaway is how remarkably fresh and clean it leaves the palate. This is a total pleasure to taste.

The 2021 Extra Brut Col Credas Rive di Farra di Soligo is more of a whisper than a shout, as nuances of sweet melon and wildflowers give way to cracked slate and gingery spice. This is savory and mineral in style, caressing the palate with silken bubbles, as citrus-tinged orchard fruits are complemented by a salty flourish that evolves toward the close. The Col Credas finishes potent and with remarkable length, leaving a lemon-rind-like concentration, even as the mouth is left watering for another sip.

This is that rare single-vineyard vintage Prosecco from Italy’s most prestigious Prosecco district, the hilly Valdobbiadene region.  As you might expect, it is very dry and elegant, seamless on the palate with a very fine, creamy mousse and shows refined aromas of peach and apple with impressive length on the palate.  What you might not expect is the price.  It doesn’t cost a fortune and is truly one of the best values in sparkling wine this holiday season.      

The 2019 Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore Rive di Colbertaldo Asciutto Vigneto Giardino displays musky peaches and pears backed by dusty dried florals and lemon zests. It’s a round, pliant and jovial expression, balancing ripe orchard fruits and sweet spice against vibrant acids. Hints of candied ginger linger through the mouthwatering finale. With just a touch of residual sugar, the Vigneto Giardino comes across as wonderfully balanced and fully satisfying. This was bottled in September of 2020.

Subtle flavors of tart kiwi and crisp green apple are tinged with notes of thyme and lemon basil. Tightly wound and infused with acidity, the austere flavors are balanced by a silky texture. This wine is built for the dinner table.

There’s an alluring richness and smoky minerality to the 2019 Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Col Credas Rive di Farra di Soligo that’s impossible to ignore. Yellow flowers, young peach and crushed stone create a remarkably pretty display. It’s silky and smooth; yet it has a weightless feel, as this takes on an almost-salty savoriness which is further amplified by brisk acids and hints of spice. Col Credas is packed full of character, yet it’s wonderfully clean, poised and refreshing. This was bottled in September of 2020.

Scents of tangerine and peach carry into the flavors, along with crushed apple and white cherry. Couched in a silky texture, its plush fruit is enriched by a hint of brown spice and lingers on the clean finish.

The 2020 Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive di Farra di Soligo Col Credas Extra Brut shows very slight golden saturation to its appearance. It offers a richer fruit profile with apricot, lemon zest and bitter almond with the tonic dryness that Extra Brut brings. This wine has been in production since the 2011 vintage, and fruit comes from a site that is ideal for pas dosé wines. Production is 13,000 bottles.