La Gioiosa Prosecco
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Wilfred
Wong
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An excellent aperitif to accompany savories. Ideal with steamed shellfish.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The La Gioiosa Prosecco Treviso is bright, active, and alive. TASTING NOTES: This wine thrives with aromas and flavors of ripe fruit and a hint of flowers. Enjoy it with a delicately-seasoned bouillabaisse. (Tasted: January 27, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
Founded in 1974 by the Moretti Polegato family, La Gioiosa ("The Joyous") is named after the ancient name of the province where the wines are farmed and produced: Treviso, known in antiquity as a "joyous" region because of its lush farmland and widespread prosperity.
Today, the winery produces a wide range of Proseccos, including classic Prosecco, low-calorie Prosecco, and organically farmed Prosecco. The winery is also a leader in the production of environmentally friendly wines and it strives to limit its carbon footprint by using alternative energy sources, including hydroelectric power generated by the nearby Piave river.
The winery is currently converting its vineyards for Biodiversity Friend certification from the World Biodiversity Association. All of its wines are produced by immediately chilling the grape must to nearly freezing as soon as the bunches are picked. The must is then preserved low temperatures until the moment the winemaker decides to give it its sparkle. This costly but highly effective process helps to ensure the wine's signature freshness and high quality.
The historic Moretti Polegato family was recently recognized as one of post-war Italy's "business leaders" by the Italian chamber of commerce for its role in popularizing Prosecco throughout the world.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
One of the world’s most popular and playful sparkling wines, Prosecco is a specialty of northeastern Italy, spanning nine provinces of the Veneto and Fruili-Venezia Giulia regions. A higher-quality version of Prosecco wine that must meet more stringent production requirements is known as Prosecco Superiore and must come from the more rugged terrain between the towns of Valdobiaddene and Conegliano. Prosecco can be produced as a still wine, a semi-sparkling wine (“frizzante”), or a fully sparkling wine (“spumante”)—the latter being the most common. While Prosecco wine is typically produced in a “brut” (dry) style, its fresh and fruity character makes it seem a bit sweeter than it actually is. “Extra dry” styles, incorporating higher levels of residual sugar, are quite popular, however.
Prosecco wine is made from the Glera grape, which was formerly and confusingly called Prosecco, these wines are notable for pleasant flavors of peach, pear, melon, green apple, and honeysuckle. Lower pressure during the carbonation process (also called the tank method) means that the bubbles are lighter and frothier than in Champagne or other traditional method sparkling wine, and less persistent. Prosecco is also a great choice to blend with orange juice for mimosas for a classic brunch beverage.