Prosecco Vertical Tasting

In oenological world the term “Vertical” is used to define a tasting in which only one type of wine from the same producer from different vintages is evaluated.
A Vertical tasting can be done following two methods: starting from the youngest wine and going back in time or the contrary. With the first method, the palate appreciates all the characteristics of the youngest vintage and better perceives the complexity of the oldest ones.

This type of tasting has two main ambitions: on one hand, to evaluate the differences between a vintage and another one; on the other hand, to verify the wine evolution during the years. Proposing the Prosecco Vertical all over the world, Bottega is focusing on this last aspect. Our main ambition is to demonstrate that a good Prosecco can have a longer shelf life than the usual two years.

Our first Prosecco Vertical tasting took place in Canada. Guests tasted the vintages from 2013 to 2017 of Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut. After that, we proposed the same event format in UK and in Hong Kong. Food and wine writers, journalists and bloggers are the guests of our Prosecco vertical tasting.

Tasting notes:

• Vintage 2013
  Colour: golden yellow, foam not consistent.
  Bouquet: hints of gold apple, very ripe, slightly scents of oxidation.
  Taste: clean, savory, with a bitter note in the after taste.
• Vintage 2014
  Colour: deep golden yellow.
  Bouquet: hints of ripe fruit and dried fruit, and notes of oxidation.
  Taste: good acidity, with a bitter almond finish, not very persistent.
• Vintage 2015
  Colour: golden yellow.
  Bouquet: fruity notes of ripe and exotic fruit. Light floral and spicy notes, oxidation in the finish.
  Taste: sufficiently fresh, fairly persistent, mineral with retro-flavour oxidative notes.
• Vintage 2016
  Colour: golden yellow.
  Bouquet: fruity notes of ripe and exotic fruit. Floral and spicy notes, and oxidation in the finish.
  Taste: fresh and savoury with good persistence, spicy and mineral notes and retro-flavour oxidative notes.
• Vintage 2017
  Colour: straw-yellow unloaded.
  Bouquet: elegant and intense with hints of green apple, william pear, white fruit, white flowers, lily of the valley and acacia flowers.
  Taste: harmonious, fairly persistent, savoury.

Press Comments

“Every single bottle in all of his Prosecco ranges is vintage dated. All Prosecco has a modest shelf life of about 5 years if cellared properly. This was evident in the vertical tasting of Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Brut. The 2013 was slightly oxidized but the mousse was full and thus reminiscent of well-aged Champagne. Personally, I loved it. The 2016 had evolved very well, and it would be my personal choice from off the shelf (look closely for the vintage year).”
(Dean Tudor)

 “All Bottega’s bottles carry a vintage date, and he treated us to a vertical tasting of his renowned Bottega Prosecco Brut VTG 2013, 2014, and 2016. We noted that the 2013 was not at its best but still maintained its mousse. Prosecco can still be drunk four years after harvest, and the 2016 was crisp and fresh, tasting of apples, which is characteristic of the Glera grape.”
(Sheila Puritt)

“A Vertical of Prosecco in Toronto!
2013: Nice effervescence (mousse), showing its age though still enjoyable with straw colour and white fruit. Touch of sweetness. Clean albeit very quick finish. Nice wine considering age!
2014: Fine mousse and fully mature. Clean with white fruit and honey. Melon on finish. Time to drink up now!
2016: Lovely fine mousse, somewhat greenish tinge to clear liquid. Very light sweetness. Hint of lemon, Granny Smith apple and honey. Fresh and lingering on palate. Very enjoyable!
2017: Persistent mousse with tiny bubbles. Straw/green colour with floral nose, citrus, apple and pear. Very fresh and lively on the palate. Young and vivacious.”
(Chuck Byers)

 “At the vertical tasting of prosecco in Toronto in fall of 2018 that Sandro Bottega hosted, I tasted vintages of Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco from the years 2013 through to 2017. I found it remarkable how well the prosecco had aged, proving that one can indeed enjoy the sparkling wine for several years at minimum after production. Even the 2013 I found to have enjoyable oxidative flavours reminiscent of aged apple cider. This tasting proved the wisdom behind Bottega’s insistence that every bottle of their prosecco is vintage dated.”
(Margaret Swaine)

“Thank you for the great vertical tasting and seminar in London.  It was a most valuable event for me, and the information given will be of immense use in future writings.  Your presentation was really excellent.” 
(Keith Grainger, UK)

“Sandro is truly charismatic but at a London tasting of back vintages (June 2019) I witnessed his deep wine knowledge, too.”
(Annabel Jackson, UK)

“Thanks for a wonderful tasting. It was a very energetic presentation and overview of several vintages highlighting how the wines can age and speak to the terroir and vintage and possibly develop”
(James Viner, UK)