Prosecco on tap is causing a stir
Claire asked about Prosecco on tap, because she drank some in London on a recent trip. I’ve been meaning to comment in the recent reviews of sparklers and DOCG Prosecci. Slowly, this idea is gathering traction, especially in Euroland. The issue seems to be that DOCG and DOC are specific to Italian growing regions that produce Prosecco. To skirt these regulations and laws, the name of this Charmat process wine was changed to Vino Frizzante. The rationale of the owner was that adding CO2 to a Charmat process wine does nothing to damage its character. He partnered with several DOC producers. The best known is probably Montelvini. My sampling was OK, Claire. It is critical, however, to keep in mind what is being sold and at which price. DOC is quite a bit downscale from DOCG, and Charmat is much less expensive than Methode Champenoise, so selling price is key in this case.
My best comparison is that of draft to bottled of the “exact same” beer. There is a distinct difference on my palate. Then come the caveats. How fresh is the keg? Are the lines cleaned frequently? Does the bartender pour so the head is adequate? (A salacious Note to Ed, good head is very important.) Is the proper glass used? Is it perfectly clean and not redolent of sanitizing solution? (This truly does make a difference.) Is the temperature correct according to the labeling? Keep in mind the winemaker or brewer places the proper drinking temperature on the labeling and factors that into the production. Try drinking a warm U.S. beer or sparkler (55°) or a 55° stout or porter compared to a 40° to illustrate for yourselves. In the U.S. we like our alcoholic beverages colder than most Euros. So, short course, there is a place for these wines, and there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding them. Primarily it is about the Benjamins. Reminds me of the California Chablis, Burgundy, Champagne flap vs. France back in the '50s and '60s. Much ado about money. It appears the problem is naming the drink Prosecco. As I have often written, how does it taste to you and is it a good buy are the primary questions to ask yourselves.
Regarding the 2012 Napa Cabs, please be advised these are declining in price across the board. They were super hyped and rightfully so, but the price surge turned them into poor QPR buys. Insignia prices are still settling. The top 2013s are now hitting the market. Most 2013 Napa Cabs raised big bucks at Premier Napa Valley auction. Generally, prices of all Napas benefit when this occurs. The 2012s have shown better than 2011s. The 2013 winners were Seavey, Shafer, ZD and Larkmead. Several I wrote of recently; Odette, Ovid and Scarecrow were not represented. Oh, and I forgot to include this thought on Scarecrow. The entire name is Scarecrow Toto’s Opium Dream Scene Three Cabernet Sauvignon. Ya think the name had anything to do with the $4,333/bottle bid? Please keep in mind that 2012-14 were the three largest yields in California history. In 2015 the yields were down. The high-end Napas seem to be bulletproof but there is plenty of wonderful 2012 and '13 around at great prices. Go here to read about how Napa is priced: www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/06/gross-margins-breaking-down-wine-prices. You will note Chateau Montelena is mentioned in the article. The 2012s were slapped around as usual but I think the Barretts make wonderful representative Napa Cab that doesn’t break the bank. You can snap up the 2012 Napa, 89 points around $40 and the Estate 2010, 94 points about $115 or the Estate 2012, 94 points at $120. If it is affordable buy one each of the Napa 2012 and the Estate 2012 to compare. I’m guessing you will prefer three of the Napa as your buy. BTW, my gurus Stephen Tanzer and Anthony Galloni love Montelena in most vintages. Both rated the 2011 much higher than WS and RP, and I completely agree. The Estate is still selling around $115 and ready to drink next year.
Email John McDonald at chjonmc@yahoo.com.
