Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
The Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG designation was created in 2009, to recognize the true home of Prosecco in Italy. While this wine - and name are used for similar products elsewhere in Italy (and even in Brazil), the true Prosecco originates from an area between two villages, Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, located in the province of Treviso in northern Veneto.
The wines are made primarily with the Glera grape, which was formerly known as Prosecco; however the name of the grape was changed back to the old name, as the term Prosecco would be reserved for the wine.
There are three types of wine produced under the Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG designation: classic Prosecco, Rive, referring to the best vineyards from particular communes in the area, and finally Cartizze. This last type is from a large hillside vineyard that is owned by a few dozen producers; Cartizze can be considered the Grand Cru of this area.
Prosecco can be made dry, off-dry or moderately sweet. Prices range from $14-18 for the entry level Prosecco, while bottles of Cartizze are in the $25-$35 range.