About the origins and peculiarities of prosecco
Who among us has never tasted prosecco? And who among us has not enjoyed it at least a little?
I am sure, however, that very few of you have any deeper knowledge about the origins and peculiarities of prosecco. So here I am to leave you with a few more explanations and curiosities about it.
The first time we hear of what we now call Prosecco is with Pliny, who calls it vino pucino and with Livia, wife of Emperor Augustus, who sings its praises for its medicinal qualities.
In the early 16th century in Trieste, the need arose to differentiate Ribolla triestina from all other wines of the same name produced in the Gorizia area and, at a lower cost, also in Istria, so they declared that Ribolla triestina was the direct heir of Pucino. They thus give it a precise geographical characterization, identifying the place where it was produced in ancient times: the Castle of Prosecco, near the town of Prosecco.
As the years went by, the area of origin was somewhat lost, but it caught on in the Treviso area, more specifically in the hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
The first time we read the word Prosecco as we know it today is in the poem “Il Roccolo” in 1754:
«Ed or ora immollarmi voglio il becco / Con quel melaromatico Prosecco. / Di Monteberico questo perfetto / Prosecco eletto ci dà lo splendido / Nostro Canonico. Io lo conosco / Egli è un po' fosco, e sembra torbido; / Ma pur è un balsamo sì puro e sano, / Che il Sanlorano, / Il Fontignacco / Sol un Macacco / Sguaiato / Impazzato / Dir potria ch'è miglior vino / Del Prosecco del Ghellino. / ... / Tanto val questo Prosecco / Ch'io per me nol cambierei / Coll'Ambrosia degli Dei»
«And now I want to wet my mouth with that apple-flavoured Prosecco. From Monte Berico (a hill overlooking the city of Vicenza) our splendid priest provides us with this perfect Prosecco (the reference is to Jacopo Ghellini of the noble Ghellini di Villaverla family). I know it, it is not clear and seems cloudy (this is probably the original version, which was ‘on the lees’ since the charmat method, currently used, would have been invented the following century); but it is such a pure and healthy balm that the Saint Laurent, the Frontignac (French wines) only a foolish, unhinged, madman (‘Macacco’ is a kind of monkey and, by extension, a silly, clumsy person) could say that it is better wine than the Prosecco del Ghellino (Jacopo Ghellini’s Prosecco) This Prosecco is worth so much that I wouldn’t exchange it even for the ambrosia of the gods ».
Do you also know that?
- In 2021, 627 million bottles were sold for an estimated consumer value of 3 billion euros (2.4 in 2020)
- The main grape variety of winemaking is Glera
- Prosecco is the top Italian wine for exports.
- Excellent for pairing with fish, cured meats, fresh cheeses and eggs.
- There are three different denominations: Prosecco DOC, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG and Asolo Prosecco DOCG
So how about a nice trip to the Prosecco hills? With the excuse we also pay a little visit to Venice, in the meantime I leave you our link here: WALK THROUGH ELEGANCE: PROSECCO & VENICE STROLL
A nice trip to the Prosecco hills
A walk through elegance: a prosecco and Venice stroll
- Italy
- Self guided tour
- Difficulty level 2