Bottega: Stop treating Prosecco like beer

Sandro Bottega, founder of high-end Prosecco brand Bottega, would like consumers to stop drinking the Italian fizz in the same way they would beer.

Speaking during an online tasting of the Bottega range last week, Bottega said that he’d like to change consumer mindsets with regards to how Prosecco is consumed.

“Prosecco is something you can drink throughout a meal, not just as an apéritif. It can be enjoyed with everything from pasta and pizza to barbeque food.

“We always drink Prosecco with food in northern Italy, and enjoy it throughout a meal. But in other parts of the world it’s treated more as an apéritif. I don’t want people to only drink it like a beer after work – the best way to enjoy a Prosecco is during a meal, and it has a great ability to refresh the palate between dishes.

“We have to educate consumers and teach them to enjoy Prosecco with food.”

When it comes to glassware, Bottega advocated the use of a Burgundy glass over a flute to get the best from Prosecco.

“You get better perlage in a flute, but you don’t get the same quantity of aromas that you get from a Burgundy glass. Prosecco should be enjoyed in a large wine glass.

He also advised against vigorously swirling Prosecco in the glass in order to retain its freshness.

“You should always wait for a few minutes after opening a bottle of Prosecco before drinking it to let the sulphites settle down,” Bottega said.