Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PROSECCO: A LOCAL'S GUIDE
Since 2007, sommelier
Mario Piccinin
( 049 60 06 72;
www.venicedaytrips.com
; Via Saetta 18, Padua;
semi-private/private tours per person €165/275 ) has been designing art, food and wine tours exploring the hidden
corners of Venice and the Veneto. We caught up with him over a glass of
prosecco
to get the low-down on the
Veneto's favourite
aperitivo
.
The origins of prosecco…
Prosecco
can be traced back to the Romans. It was then known as 'Pucino' and was
shipped direct to the court of Empress Livia from Aquileia, where it was produced with grapes from the Carso.
During the Venetian Republic the vines were transferred to the Prosecco DOCG (
denominazione d'origine con-
trollata e garantita
; quality-controlled) area, a small triangle of land between the towns of Valdobbiadene,
Conegliano and Vittorio Veneto.
The social scene…
Here in the Veneto we drink
prosecco
like water - sometimes it's even cheaper than water!
Describe the character of a good prosecco…
Straw yellow in colour with sparkling greenish reflections. The
naturally formed bubbles are tiny, numerous and long-lasting in your glass. It's fragrant with fresh notes of white
fruits and fresh grass. It pleases your mouth with its crispness and aromaticity. Keep in mind that these character-
istics are not long-lasting -
prosecco
is meant to be drunk young.
Pairings?
Soppressa
(a fresh local salami), buttery Asiago cheese and roasted chestnuts in season. But it really is
a match for many simple dishes such as those served at Agriturismo Da Ottavio (
Click here
).
Best aspect of the tour?
I think what people enjoy most is the feeling of having lived like a local for a day - dis-
covering typical places far off the beaten path and being received warmly by the people they meet. Often they're
so enthused they want to take a cooking lesson. It's fun to learn hands-on how to prepare some local dishes that
pair well with the wines you've just discovered. As for me, I find it very satisfying to show people all that is be-
hind a glass of wine.
