Food and wine pairing: Prosecco with melon wrapped in prosciutto

The preparation does not get any easier:

• halve a melon, cut into any sized portions you desire
• wrap with favorite prosciutto
• serve with a sparkling Prosecco (I specify sparkling because many people are unaware that about 5% of Prosecco is used to make still wines)

Prosecco is a white grape variety that is grown in the foothills of the Alps in the Venuto region of Italy. Venuto lies in the Northeast of Italy near the Austrian/Slovanian borders where its best known for its capital city of Venice. The Prosecco grape does well in this region where it achieves balanced acidity and fruit. The sparklings are different than Champagne in that they undergo secondary fermentation in large, stainless steel tanks, rather than in individual bottles. This is more cost efficient and leads to sparkling wines that offer excellent representation of the components of the grapes and terroir.

Prosecco is generally a pale/straw color with a fresh melon and citrus bouquet as well as on the palette along with honey and nuts. Prosecco has a crisp, refreshing finish perfect as an appertif or to wake-up a warm summer night. The best part about Prosecco is that they are very reasonably priced, much more so than Champagne or even many of the sparkling’s made around the world. An excellent alternative on a Tuesday night when you’re in the mood for some bubbly!

Two Prosecco’s to try:

• Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV - $13 - Great nose with apple and citrus, very interesting texture and a mineral finish make this one of my favorites. You can’t beat the price either! My Rating: 91 pts
• Oriel Prosecco 365 - $19 - Pleasant nose with mineral notes and ripe fruits. Medium-light body with mineral and flint. A good finish but not as crisp as I expected - still enjoyed it very much. My Rating: 87 pts