The SOMM Journal

February / March 2018

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{ SOMMjournal.com } 31 { grape variety } The Glory of Glera A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF THE CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO DOCG by Alex Russan WITH ITS COOL climate, old vines, steep hillsides, and diverse soil types, the Coneg- liano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG is a fortuitous place for a grape to grow. Glera—largely known as Prosecco until 2009—is the primary varietal to claim this honor, and I recently had the pleasure of tasting a dozen lovely and floral wines from the Italian region during an event at A.O.C. Wine Bar and Restaurant in Los Angeles. We drink so much Prosecco on a global scale that, at the turn of the 21st century, we needed more to sustain our supply. The same year the Glera name was fully adopted, a decision was made to allow Prosecco production in a much more expansive area than in the past. Formerly known as the Prosecco DOC, the small and storied region was upgraded and renamed the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG after the two main vil - lages within the region; a significantly larger area surrounding the DOCG, meanwhile, became the new Prosecco DOC. Great wines are produced in both areas, but the DOCG, which produces 25 percent of all Prosecco, is where one should look for higher quality and smaller producers that adhere to longstanding traditions. To delve even deeper into site specificity, in 2009 the DOCG designated 43 delimited grape-growing areas within its boundaries known as Rives. Rives have stricter quality requirements and must be dated by vintage; for fans of Prosecco, they definitely offer the most engaging explora - tion of the region. The wines we tasted at the L.A. event— hosted by wine educator/writer Alan Tardi, the DOCG's U.S. Ambassador—were all crisp, clean, and well-made. Most showed an intense floral character, with some exhibiting bright citric fruits and others riper, more pear-like fruits. The lineup represented all three current sweetness classifications: Brut (0–12g/L, the most common), Extra Dry (12-17 g/L), and Dry (17-32 g/L). Balanced with ample acid and minerality, the sweetness was always a pleasant and welcome player in each wine. Temperatures are kept cool throughout the entire Prosecco production process to help the wines retain their signature fresh and floral aromas. Although some Proseccos undergo secondary fermenta - tion in bottle like many other sparklers, the vast majority do so in large pressure tanks called autoclaves (most remain in autoclave for three months prior to bottling). Large-volume aging and an accelerated release into the market also encourage Prosecco's typical vibrant and youthful aromatics. As the DOCG continues to calibrate its rules and classifications, it will be enlight - ening to see continued developments emerge from this well-known and surpris- ingly diverse area. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CONSORZIO TUTELA DEL VINO CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE PROSECCO DOCG The steep, lush hills of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG.

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