Prosecco!

Early last month we flew home to the British Virgin Islands to celebrate my grandfather’s 90th birthday and my grandparents 60th wedding anniversary. It was a huge bash and de facto family reunion with all but one of their 10 grown children and countless numbers of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, friends and neighbors joining in the festivities. It was a truly wonderful weekend.


One afternoon while lounging around the pool at the hotel where the Professor and I were staying we decided to have a drink. After swimming up to the bar we noticed that they were pouring a prosecco. Having recently discovered and enjoyed various proseccos back home in New York we of course got excited. What sparkling wine could be better than a prosecco on a warm tropical afternoon? We immediately ordered three glasses (my sister and her husband, being the teetotalers that they are decided to share one). The prosecco that the bartender poured us was Santa Margarita. It was light, crisp and possessed a very slight sweetness. In the glass it had a wonderfully golden straw color (excuse me, colour. We were in the British Virgin Islands after all) and very nice citrusy bouquet. After having enjoyed several rum punches and a pina colada over the previous few days it was the Italian sparkling wine that ended up in my mind being the perfect tropical beverage.


Naturally, when we returned to New York I looked for it whenever I ventured into a wine store, so far with no luck. It was during just such a search that I ended up buying a bottle of the San Fermo Bellenda Prosecco from Pasanella & Son wine shop. What made the decision to buy it easy was just how gorgeous the bottle was. On a purely aesthetic level I was completely happy with the purchase.

I put the bottle in the wine fridge in anticipation of an occasion to pop the cork and enjoy it with friends, or, failing that, by myself. Since this isn't an expensive sparkler ($16.75), a lazy Sunday afternoon can provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy it. Or in this case Wine Blogging Wednesday! So right after enjoying the Professor's Hawaiian french toast for breakfast (brunch?) we popped the cork on the Bellenda and... started taking lots of pictures.

Then we drank and we enjoyed. Here are the Professor's tasting notes:

The Professor’s San Fermo Bellenda Tasting Notes


Wine Name: San Fermo Bellenda
Wine Region: Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Italy
WBW # 27 Category: Party Sparkler
Cost: $16.75

A light sparkling wine from San Fermo. It is pretty to look at, with a pale straw color and just a hint of a golden hue, and rapidly rising, small bubbles. (It comes in a beautiful bottle, by the way --- see photos). It has a subtle fruit bouquet, which is a characteristic of prosecco grapes. The same subtle fruit is noticed on the palate, as well as a pleasantly crisp finish. This is a dry, light sparkling wine ---- not an assertive one but definitely not bland or boring. Best to be enjoyed with fresh, light fare such as a simple spring salad.

So there you have it. Pop open a prosecco today and enjoy!