Best prosecco and sparkling wine, tested by editors

Now that it’s finally spring, it’s time for all the celebrations to begin — graduations, weddings, the end of seasonal depression and beyond. Naturally, you’ll want to pop a bottle of something bubbly but, given the endless choices, it may be hard to decide on the right one. If you’ve spent any time perusing your local wine shop or favorite online wine purveyor, a crisp bottle of prosecco might be on your radar — which tends to be a fan-favorite choice due to its lower price point.

We feel you. After researching and choosing from an array of top-rated proseccos at various prices and a range of flavor notes, the team at CNN Underscored decided to taste them head-to-head to find our favorites. Everyone in the taste test had their personal preferences when it came to flavor, carbonation and sweetness levels, ensuring we accounted for all kinds of sparkling wine enthusiasts and newbies.

But before we get into the nitty-gritty, like what we liked and didn’t like, here are the basics you’ll need to know before you pop the cork.

Prosecco is a sparkling wine mostly made in a specific region of Italy. Sarah Favigner, wine buyer and general manager at Brooklyn’s Smith & Vine has become an expert on all things sparkling wine.

“Prosecco is a style of sparkling wine made in the northeast of Italy, most predominantly in Veneto, and is typically made from 100% Glera grapes,” she told CNN Underscored. “Newly allowed rosé prosecco has a small amount of red grapes as well to get the pink color.”

The grape’s moderately high acidity gives a perfume of melons, peaches, pears and white flowers. The resulting wines are typically light to medium-bodied.

Upon first glance, and unless you’re educated in all things bubbly, it can be nearly impossible to tell the difference between these bottles. “As many people have heard, Champagne can only be from the Champagne region of France, and prosecco can only be from Italy and made with Glera grapes,” said Favigner.

So yes, only wines originating from this region in France can legally be called Champagne and anything not from these two places is just plain old sparkling wine (we’re looking at you, USA).

Another major factor is how they produce the effervescence. “Champagne becomes sparkling through secondary fermentation in each individual bottle, while prosecco goes through secondary fermentation in large tanks which makes it easier and less expensive to produce,” explained Favigner. “Sparkling rosé wines in many regions are typically made by blending mostly white grapes with just a touch of red grapes.”

Prosecco also carbonates in stainless steel vats — a process that is less timely and money-intensive, which explains its general affordability. This process is called the “Charmat Method ” and means the wine has far less contact with the lees (deposits of dead yeast cells), which allows the fruit character to shine through better.

Although Prosecco can be enjoyed on its own, it can also be found in all types of cocktails — both classic and experimental. And of course, you may feel better about mixing a less pricey sparkler with your orange juice at that next boozy brunch.

Andrew Avery, the sommelier at The Standard, High Line, noted that the most popular prosecco cocktail at the Standard’s restaurant, called The Grill, is the Aperol Spritz. “It combines a wonderful wine and liqueur from Venita, in northern Italy,” he said. “There’s a reason the whole city is drinking them.”

And with warmer weather coming our way, you can expect to see even more of these orange-hued drinks being sipped.

Cedric Nicaise, Sommelier and Co-owner at The Noortwyck agrees. “The Aperol Spritz is the king of sparkling wine cocktails.” However, Steven Karataglidis, sommelier at the Fairmont Royal York, has a classic take. “For us, mimosas [sparkling wine and orange juice] are still number one by far.”

Liz Martinez, general manager and sommelier at The Apparatus Room sees the Hugo Spritz, a cocktail hailing from Northern Italy made of prosecco, elderflower liqueur (typically St.Germain), and a healthy dose of mint sprigs, as the next big prosecco-forward trend.  “Prosecco is a great combination of bubbles, acid and fruit, which plays along nicely with any of the fruity, floral-flavored liqueurs that make up the body of the drink,” she said.

What brands of prosecco are people ordering at the bar?

“There is still not a whole lot of name recognition for prosecco,” said Martinez. “Most people are ordering it based on the style of wine.” Moore agreed, adding, “We see dry Prosecco as the most popular style among guests. This is a general theme we see through and through — our guests tend to be sugar adverse.”

Most palettes will be sated with fresh fruit and citrus flavors, light bubbles, a balance between sugar and acidity and the authenticity of the grape. But in the end, quality is always king.

“[Check] everything you would look for in a high-quality wine producer: method, terroir, philosophy, complexity, quality, amongst others,” said Chris Moore, head of bars at The Ned NoMad. “Prosecco is evolving, which means a whole generation of producers and guests have come through who want something of a high quality.”

Price also plays a major role in the hunt for the right prosecco, no matter the occasion. “Simple and cheap is what you want,” said Nicaise. Martinez agreed: “Prosecco has the ability and the price range to be either serious or fun and unlike many wines out there, price is one thing that can dictate this. There are more serious styles, most of which are still in an affordable price range. You can find a very nice bottle of DOCG prosecco from Valdobbiadene for around $20 — and this region takes their prosecco very seriously.”

Here are other considerations, according to our experts:

How should you drink and store your prosecco?

Moore recommends drinking prosecco just as you would enjoy any sparkling wine. “While the regulations aren’t as strict, prosecco is moving into a space that it hasn’t necessarily been historically — where there are producers that can be considered similar to the level of champagne houses.”

This means you can enjoy prosecco chilled between 40 and 45 degrees for at least an hour or two before sipping. It can also be chilled in an ice bucket. Favigner suggests serving it quite cold for maximum enjoyment. “And make sure to keep it away from direct sunlight or heat sources,” she added.

Although your first instinct may be to pop your champagne bottle and pour with gusto, you may want to reconsider your pouring speed. “Prosecco should be opened, poured and served like any other sparkling — slowly and carefully,” said Avery. “Make sure it’s chilled and keep the bottle on ice.”

Experts agree prosecco is best enjoyed in a wide-shaped glass which helps hold all the aromas. However, Moore also encourages wine enthusiasts to experiment. “Find what you prefer and go with it,” he said. “I love any great sparkling wine in a glass that is somewhere between a flute and a wine glass.”

“I still think a classic flute is best but if you want to be extra fancy or seem like an expert, try a thin white wine glass,” added Karataglidis. Martinez, on the other hand, suggested a standard wine glass. “I drink any and all bubbly from a wine glass — I believe you should be able to taste the wine beyond the bubbles and acid and one way to achieve this is a glass with a wider mouth.”