Metodo Tradizionale

The Champagne method (MÉTHODE CHAMPENOISE) for making SPARKLING WINE; also referred to as metodo classico. Most top Italian sparkling wines are made this way.

What is Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore?

A. The official name of Prosecco

B. The name for Proseccos that have been aged an additional two years in bottle before release

C. A more highly ranked Prosecco that comes from vineyards in a small special area

D. Prosecco made in two of the most famous villages in the province of Friuli

Ok, this was a tough question, but here’s the scoop: Much of the Prosecco that’s made is simply basic Prosecco DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) that comes from large swaths of flat land in northeastern Italy. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is a higher ranked, higher quality Prosecco DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). It is higher ranked because it comes from an historically special terroir—namely, a small zone of high-elevation hills in and around the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene in the region of the Veneto (not Friuli). Yes, it’s a very long name but Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is actually easy to pronounce: con-KNEE-lee-anno Val-doe-bee-AH-di-nay Pro-SEC-oh Su-pair-ee-or-AY.

“And as the best melodies reverberate within us long after the piece has cadenced, the greatest wines live far past their finish, their expression so clear that they give us the power to taste them eternally.”

—Bryce Wiatrak
for Vinous, On Music and Wine

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