A New Dress Code from Zonin Prosecco
If you are a prosecco fan like me you know that finding a decent, commercially sold prosecco in the United States is difficult. Many are too sweet, too acidic, or just flat out don’t taste appealing. Casa Vinicola Zonin, Italy’s largest privately owned wine company, has been selling prosecco in the United States for years and has garnered a loyal following due to its dry, food-friendly taste.
A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to be invited to Toscano Divino in Brickell for the launch of Zonin’s newest prosecco collection in which they unveiled three new, innovative prosecco blends. The new collection, entitled the Dress Code Collection, is made up of three proseccos—the white edition, the grey edition, and the black edition. Typically prosecco is made from 100% Glera grapes but this collection is interesting for the fact that these new wines are blends of Glera and various grapes and each one has a distinct flavor profile. Each bottle and flavor profile is meant to evoke different feelings from free, young, and graceful to mysterious, elegant, and charming.
The white edition is a blend of Glera and Pinot Bianco cuvèe and is crisp, floral, and fresh. The grey edition is a blend of Glera and Pinot Grigio cuvèe and is a bit fruitier due to the Pinot Grigio grape. The black edition is a blend of Glera and Pinot Noir cuvèe and is the most elegant and full bodied of the three wines.
Each wine was expertly paired with the sumptuous food of Chef de Cuisine, Jeff Maxfield at Toscana Divino. Our antipasto featured Spanish octopus with yucca, celery, olives, and a paprika aioli. This course was paired with the Zonin Prosecco white edition. Our primo piatto was a decadent risotto fegato alla Veneziana which is a classic risotto dish from Venice made with chicken liver and topped with a balsamic caramelized onion sphere and paired with the Zonin Prosecco grey edition. Our secondo piatto was a delicate local Golden Tilefish with glazed vegetables and topped with a dollop of caviar. This paired wonderfully with the more robust Zonin Prosecco black edition. The delicate fish offset the heavier, fuller bodied Prosecco.
Chef Maxfield recently returned from a whirlwind six month trip around the world and he spent some time in Italy cooking in Italian restaurants, touring food factories and farms, and even participating in the Campionato Mondiale della Pizza (World Championship of Pizza) in Naples. His flair for Italian food is evidenced in his preparation of classic Italian dishes. The menu created for each Prosecco was superbly paired and was no easy feat. Most multiple course wine and food pairings only feature one course paired with a sparkling wine but Zonin and Chef Maxfield managed to create a menu that could support and complement each wine course.
Zonin’s Dress Code Collection was released nationwide in February and can be found in specialty wine shops and is making its way to larger grocery retailers. Chef Maxfield can be found whipping up delectable Italian food at Toscana Divino in Brickell.
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