Trying to navigate the labyrinth of varietals and AVAs of the wine world just to get the glass of fermented grape juice on the other side can be quite the task. We know that there are rules to Champagne versus sparkling wine when it comes to France, but what about Italy? Whereas non-Champagne bubbles are plainly referred to as sparkling wine in much of the world, sparkling wine made in Italy has its own category: spumante.
“Spumante” in Italian is used as an umbrella term for any sparkling wines made in the country. It doesn’t need to be from a specific region or made with certain grapes, like Champagne does. An easy way to understand how spumante works is thinking of how all poodles are dogs, but not all dogs are poodles. Converting that idea to wine terms, proseccos are often spumante wines (although they can also be frizzante, which is less fizzy). But not all spumante is prosecco, since the latter has to be from the Veneto or Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy.
The two most commonly used second-fermentation methods for spumante are the traditional method, like with Champagne, and the Charmat method, which you’ll commonly see used with prosecco. In Charmat method, the fermentation step that gives sparkling wines its signature bubbles happens in large stainless-steel vats opposed to in individual bottles. Spumante on a label won’t denote a specific grape unless its preceded by Asti, which comes mainly from Asti and Albi in the Piedmont region. If your label says Asti Spumante, then that wine was made with moscato grapes, and will be on the sweeter side. Spumante wines follow the same sweetness scale as other sparkling wines, from extra brut to doux.
How to enjoy spumante like a pro
For your next dinner party, the best order to serve wines like a sweeter Asti spumante will either come at the beginning of the meal as an apéritif to whet your appetite, or as a complement to your dessert course. You don’t need to throw a fancy dinner party or be celebrating some momentous occasion to enjoy a spumante wine, though. Forget pizza and beer, say hello pizza and bubbles.
Sparkling wine goes amazingly well with pizza, no matter which different varieties of pizza you find across the country. A good rule of thumb to follow is the spicier the toppings, the sweeter your bubbles can be. An Asti Spumante would be divine with a buffalo style pizza loaded with zesty sauce, cheese, and charred pepperoni, or a tangy, spicy Thai noodle dish. The sweetness and acidity of the wine will cut through the richness, while the fruity notes play off the spicy flavors.
Popular cocktails like spritzes are another fantastic way to enjoy any spumante. Try Select, the spirit of choice in Italy, over Aperol for a smoother flavor with slightly less sweetness. If you overfill your wine glass with ice before gently adding in the spirits and bubbles, you can layer them to look like the Italian flag. Garnish your spritz with a mint sprig for the green — be sure to spank it first to release the oils. Salute!
