WeeklySA_AdminPEDIGREE: Located in the heart of the famous Prosecco territory, the Italian bubbly has been a leader in sparkling wine for more than 40 years…
By Priscilla Malinga
As one of the first companies to introduce and distribute Prosecco outside Italy, Zardetto has been known to produce vibrant and refreshing Proseccos which have been captivating the global market for years.
Produced from carefully selected grapes grown on the finest hilltop vineyards, the bubbly is blended at Zardetto’s state-of-the-art cellar, using modern techniques and traditional practices that result in a collection of acclaimed Prosecco Brut.
The brand’s history began four generations ago, when the Zardetto family became a notable fixture of the historic Conegliano and Valdobbiadene region, producing world-class Prosecco while innovating and perfecting the methods of production.Forefather Bepi Zardetto, winner of prestigious awards as early as the 1930’s, instilled his passion for viticulture to both his son, Ernesto and grandson Pino.
Zardetto’s legacy has carried on throughout Italy’s booming decade, which culminated in the establishment of an official family business in 1969, giving grandson Pino, a global ambassadorship of Prosecco.
A true visionary, Pino Zardetto, was among the first to export Prosecco to the United States in 1984. To this day, the family’s passion for quality endures as Zardetto continues to evolve and redefine the production of Prosecco as they have done for decades, by meticulously selecting the best grapes and by perfecting the fermentation and ageing process.
“Our Proseccos are “non-vintage”, which means they were not produced using grapes from a single year,” says Wayne Wilson, of leading SA wine distributing company Meridian Wine Merchants. “This is to ensure the style of the wines are kept consistent despite varying weather conditions each year,” he added.
Prosecco comes from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions in North Eastern Italy. It is named after the village of Prosecco, near Trieste.
Prosecco is the term for any wine made with the local glera grape, which may be blended in small quantities with other grapes to tweak the flavour profile.
It is usually a white sparkling wine, though it can be found as a rosé sparkling, and even a still wine, known locally as prosecco tranquillo.
”Other local grape varieties may also be used with a minimum of 85% Glera and now that 15% Pinot Noir is allowed, we can now offer the joy of Pink Prosecco too!,” says Wilson.
Prosecco is made using the Charmat method (tank method), where bubbles are formed in the wine after a secondary fermentation that occurs in large stainless steel tanks, giving it its signature light, fresh bubbles. This process takes about 40 days. Zardetto has a range of three Proseccos in the country namely Zardetto Prosecco DOC Tradizione; Zardetto Prosecco DOC Rosé and Zardetto Prosecco DOC Nectar.
Currently Zardetto’s distribution is being expanded to stockists and will soon be available in most fine wine stores country-wide.
It comes in different variations and varies in sweetness levels, with classifications such as ‘Brut’ (least sweet), ‘Extra Dry’ (slightly sweet), and ‘Dry’ (the sweetest style of Prosecco).
One can easily smell the goodness of grape flavour when you open the Zardetto Tradizione, which is extra dry and has aromas of apricot and citrus.
My colleague and I enjoyed the bubbly. We kept the bottle which had a personal message from Meridian Wine Merchant’s Gauteng sales consultant, Mpho Sedibana, given to us at an event they were sponsoring, “Dialogues Among Young Black Women” at Col’cacchio restaurant at Monte Casino. One can taste the dryness and the bubbles are conspicuous when you pour it into a glass.
All wine lovers will find joy in the energetic and alluringly floral and fruity fizz of Zardetto Prosecco made for easy enjoyment with or without food at any time of the day.
