The NV Extra Dry Prosecco Superiore dei Casel opens slowly in the glass, with nuances of green melon and dried flowers complemented by a hint of candied ginger. It soothes with its silken bead of fine bubbles, filling the senses with ripe orchard fruits and sweet spices offset by saline minerals that collect toward the close. Pretty hints of candied citrus and inner florals linger as the DEI Casel finishes with impressive length and precision, yet completely fresh. This understated beauty will win many hearts. Well done.

EDITOR'S CHOICE

This delicious, deeply colored sparkler has alluring aromas of violet and blackberry. On the dry, foaming palate, crisp acidity and refined tannins accompany ripe Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry and orange zest before a fennel finish

There are plenty of cheap and quaffable choices available when it comes to Prosecco DOC, but for just a few dollars more you can take a real step up with Prosecco Superiore DOCG wines, especially from quality producers like Adami. Over the last decade, producers in the hilly Prosecco Superiore zone have moved toward less-sweet styles to keep up with changing market demands, applying meticulous vineyard management to achieve the perfect grapes these dryer styles require. The Adami family bought the Col Credas vineyard in the early 2000s. It lies in the Rive di Farra di Soligo, one of the 43 rive sites notable for their steep slopes and favorable exposures. The family experimented with the vinification of grapes from Col Credas for a decade, eventually concluding that wines from this site reached their best expression with just a few grams of residual sugar, and releasing Col Credas as a single-vineyard wine for the first time in the 2011 vintage. Ten years later, the 2021 Col Credas Extra Brut is firm and taut, with golden pear and citrus flavors that are pure and refreshing as they glide on a line of cool acidity.  The wine finishes crisp and dry, with lingering saline notes that call for a plate of freshly shucked Wellfleet oysters.  

The Adami family purchased this vineyard in 1920 and some of the vines have now reached 100 years of age. Asciutto is an old local term meaning “dry,” in the sparkling-wine sense, and the wine carries up to 20 grams of residual sugar per liter, sweetness that amplifies flavors of lemon curd, mango, white peach and golden apple. Lemony acidity balances the fruit, and a cool streak of salinity brightens the finish.

Franco Adami’s grandfather Abele began bottling wine from the Giardino vineyard in the early 1930s. Vines planted on steep slopes in shallow, chalky soils yield glera with crisp acidity that, according to Franco Adami, expresses its fruit character best when produced in the dry (asciutto) style. It unfolds with a complex array of peach, melon and tangy mandarin flavors accented by a subtle note of green herbs. That lively acidity balances the 18 to 20 grams of residual sugar and carries the wine to a refreshing finish.

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.

The NV Prosecco Garbèl represents amazing value in its category. Sweet white flowers, young peach and hints of vanilla bean make up its seductive bouquet. It’s wonderfully balanced, with a soothing bead of bubbles that massage the palate, giving way to ripe orchard fruits. A hint of salty minerality frames the expression perfectly, as it tapers off, leaving a complete refreshed sensation. This was bottled in September of 2020.