Prosecco Sparkling Wine

The better wines from hillside vineyards are labelled 'Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene'. The best are 'Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze' from the great hill of Cartizze in the Valdobbiadene sub-region.

The fruity flavour that adds to proseccos appeal is produced in styles; the spumante (fully sparkling), the frizzante (semi-sparkling) and the tranquillo (still). Made by tank fermentation, rather than that of Champagne's traditional method, it preserves the flavour of the grape and prolongs freshness whilst offering winemakers a quicker and more affordable method - 30 days to produce Prosecco compared to a minimum of 18 months for Champagne.

Prosecco is categorised by four sweetness levels according to the amount of sugar added (as per Champagne):

• Brut – less than 12 grams sugar per litre
• Extra Dry – between 12 and 17 grams sugar per litre
• Dry – between 17 and 32 grams sugar per litre
• Demi-Sec – between 32 and 50 grams sugar per litre

For dry palates, extra dry or even brut are the most appealing, although dry and demi-sec can be equally delectable throughout a meal. The style used in cocktails on Difford's Guide is sparkling and extra dry, but the preferred style for export tends to be the slightly sweeter 'dry' style.

The UK and USA are the world's largest consumers of Prosecco, partly driven by the popularity of the spritz and other prosecco-based cocktails.