Prosecco: History, Success, and Classic Cocktails for Summer
Let’s Celebrate the Success of Prosecco with Six Classic Cocktails
This last decade Prosecco has been one of the fastest growing wine categories in the world. Its fresh sparkle and affordable price make it the perfect Summer drink and basis for our six incredible cocktails.
Prosecco: History, Success, and Regional Acronyms
Prosecco has an ancient history dating back to 79 AD with Pliny the Elder who talked of a woman named Julia August “who gave the credit for her eighty-six years of life to the wine ‘Pudino vino/ Puccino’”--as in Prosecco.
Prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), the main tier of Italian wine classification, is a sparkling wine. This sparkling wine comes from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy. Prosecco is made from the Glera grape. It is made in the “tank method” of acquiring bubbles and tends to have more fruit and flower aromas than Champagne. It has a slight sweetness that works well with Asian food and cured meats. Prosecco should be drunk chilled and as young as possible or within 3 years. Some high quality Prosecco may be aged for up to seven years. Rosé Prosecco is the new rage.
“Like a Rosé Champagne, Rosé Prosecco has a beautiful pink color with flavors of berries, red fruit and floral notes. Rosé Prosecco also comes with a lower price tag making it a favorite for spring and summer gatherings to drink alone or in a cocktail. One of my favorites is 2020 Zardetto Rosé Extra Dry, which you can find for $18 - $20 (Wine Enthusiast, 91 Points.” -Wendy Hatfield, WSET 2, Associate Editor, Wine Wanderings
On Prosecco Success
“Prosecco is a soft & easy drinking sparkling wine. It’s pleasant & doesn’t tend to challenge you. It generally isn’t sweet but has enough residual sugar to go down easy for newer wine drinkers, while still working for more experienced wine drinkers. It’s fairly inexpensive. Additionally, they have done a solid job of marketing Prosecco as a wine for brunch & for Bellini’s. The Prosecco industry has built a lifestyle brand for the region and that’s something that no other sparkling wine region outside of Champagne has achieved.”
-- Phillip Anderson, DipWSET®, Master of Wine Candidate, General Manager, Le Vigne Winery
Premium Prosecco Region
Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), the top tier of Italian wines, comes from just two provinces, Treviso of the Veneto between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, and the smaller town of Asolo. Yet, even the premium 2023 Bisol Crede Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Vinous 90 points rated wine) retails for $25. Most quality Prosecco wines cost $11-15. For the Wine Wanderer, Viator offers tours of Treviso with several must-see events like a Prosecco tasting, an art historian’s guided tour, a Tiramisu tasting, and a view of the the impressive canal views and quiet life in Treviso, sometimes called “Little Venice.”
“I’m partial to dry Valdobbiadene Proseccos. I like Cantina Pizzolato’s Stefany Valdobbiadene & Canah Prosecco from Perlage. These are both made with organic grapes, vegan, and dry. They both show a touch more structure than many other Proseccos, and they are nice by themselves or with salty cheese or cured meats,” notes Phillip Anderson.
Prosecco Cocktails
Prosecco cocktails have become more creative and imaginative than ever. They are now incorporating fresh purees and sorbets. More substantial cocktails incorporate liqueurs and spirits ramping up the nuances of botanicals and spices and, of course, the alcohol content. Salute!
Summer Prosecco Bellini –And the Most Famous Prosecco Cocktail
Invented in 1948 by Giuseppe Cipriani, the founder of Harry’s Bar in Venice, the Bellini’s unique pink/peach color reminded him of the toga of a saint in a painting by the 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini. Add 3 oz. of Prosecco, 2 oz. of fresh white peach puree, and a splash of Peach Schnapps.
Recipe:
Ingredients: A ripe peach or prepared white peach puree, chilled. Fresh Raspberries. ½ cup water. 1 bottle chilled Prosecco.
Instructions: Blend peach and raspberries in a blender (reserving some as garnish) and puree until smooth. Or use prepared peach puree. Run puree through a sieve to remove seeds. Use a spatula if needed. Chill for an hour or more. Pour 1 ½ oz. of fruit puree into a flute glass. Top with a little Prosecco and gently stir. Once foam has cleared, top off with more prosecco. Serve.
Prosecco Royale
Prosecco Royale is the sister drink to the classic Kir Royale, which is made with crème de cassis and Champagne.The Kir is named after its jovial French creator, Canon Felix Kir, who was also the mayor of Dijon, Burgundy, France. The Kir has been reimagined with Prosecco.
Recipe:
Ingredients: Chambord or crème de cassis liquor (one part liquor to 3 parts Prosesso,) Chilled Prosecco, raspberry garnish.
Instructions: The recipe calls for one part crème de cassis (or Chambord liquor). Pour Prosecco in a flute. Top with Chambord or crème de cassis liquor. Garnish with a raspberry.
Prosecco Mimosa
It is difficult to imagine going to a Sunday brunch or a bridesmaids luncheon without having a Mimosa. The origin of the Mimosa is debated but tradition suggests that a drink closely resembling the Mimosa called Buck’s Fizz which was invented in 1921 at the Buck’s Club in London. This drink is also made with champagne and orange juice, but with a larger quantity of the wine. It is believed that four years later, in 1925, a bartender at the Ritz Hotel in Paris named Frank Meier invented the Mimosa, which uses equal parts sparkling wine and juice.
There is even one story that says director Alfred Hitchcock invented the Mimosa in San Francisco in the 1940’s. According to The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, the Mimosa is merely a variation of the Buck’s Fizz, but it does suggest that perhaps Hitchcock was the one to popularize it as a brunch drink in America. The true story of the Mimosa is probably lost to history but that won’t stop us from celebrating this refreshing cocktail.
Recipe:
Ingredients: Fresh squeezed orange juice, Prosecco, an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec.
Instructions: This Prosecco Mimosa cocktail calls for 1 part fresh squeezed orange juice and two parts Prosecco. There is an option to add a splash of orange liqueur like Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or Triple Sec.
Tips: No need to stir as the Prosecco could become flat. If you pour the Prosecco into the glass first and hold it at angle it preserve the bubbles. It also avoids overfilling the glass with out of control Prosecco bubbles.
Mimosa Variations:
Pineapple Mimosa – use pineapple Vodka and just a small amount of orange juice;
Pomegranate Mimosa – use pomegranate liqueur and pomegranate seeds as a garnish 1/3 liqueur to 2/3 Prosecco.
Poinsettia Mimosa – Perfect for holiday parties. Mix cranberry juice and Prosecco with a garnish of orange peel or rosemary and raspberry sprig garnish.
New Orleans Prosecco Sloe Gin Fizz
Henry C. Ramos invented the Ramos Gin Fizz in 1888 at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon on Gravier Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was originally called a "New Orleans Fizz", and is one of the city's most famous cocktails. A variation on this original drink features Sloe Gin and Prosecco.
Recipe:
Ingredients: Sloe Gin (like Sipsmith), Prosecco, Blackberry garnish.
Instructions: Mix 1 part sloe gin (like Sipsmith) and 3 parts Prosecco to make this fizz. Garnish with a Blackberry.
The Amalfi Coast or Sorrento Limoncello Sparkler
Whether invented in Sorrento or on the Amalfi coast, this cocktail combines two of Italy’s most popular drinks. While dining in Sorrento or swirling down the steep Amalfi Coast, you cannot escape a Limoncello chaser. Why not combine the two into a cocktail? Bellissimo!
Recipe:
Ingredients: Limoncello liqueur, Prosecco, brandied cherry garnish.
Instructions: Mix one part limoncello lemon liqueur with 3 parts Prosecco. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
The English Garden Prosecco Cocktail
The history of Gin and fizz is long and varied. As early as 1867, Charles Dickens was said to serve his guests a mixture of Gin, Champagne, and lemon, which he called “Tom Gin and Champagne cups.” The Hendricks Gin company features this Gin and Prosecco cocktail which looks and tastes like an English Garden. The aromas of cucumber and rose hips come from the Hendricks Gin which makes this an unusual Prosecco cocktail. With the addition of Gin and Elderflower liqueur, this is a stronger Prosecco cocktail than many.
Recipe:
Ingredients: Elderflower Liqueur, St. Germaine, Hendricks Gin, Prosecco, garnish of mint.
Instructions: Measure 1 oz of Gin in a flute, fill the remainder of the flute with Prosecco, add a splash of Elderflower liqueur. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
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Hi Thomas. Yes I prefer a drier Sparkler alone, too, but Prosecco is great for mixers. Thanks for the note.
Cocktails sound the way to go. Who does like a Bellini? On it's own some of us, ie.e me, generally prefer a drier bubbly. Okay, now fire away!