It’s that time of year. Families packing up the car for that final beach trip, sunsets a few minutes earlier each day, and back to school photos taking over the internet.  As Alexandrians, we excel at keeping the summer spirit alive as long as possible. Sunny river views, brunch with your besties and a tall glass of something bubbly is just one of our secrets. And the observance of  national Prosecco Day, Sunday August 13th gives us the perfect excuse, as if we need one.

Alexandrians are well traveled, curious entertainers. We love to take our time with the wine list and scan wine store shelves, letting experience guide our next selection. When it comes to sparkling wine, we are savvy. We know that true Champagne is rarely offered by the glass because it’s cost prohibitive, and a simpler sparkler (like Prosecco) might be the best choice for a crafty cocktail. Prosecco, northern Italy’s every popular, appetite-inducing sparkling wine is typically made from one indigenous grape, Glera (aka Prosecco). The method by which its bubbles are created differs from “traditional method” sparkers, those made like Champagne, in that the second fermentation producing all of those happy bubbles happens in a closed tank rather than the much smaller bottle from which we pop the cork. The Charmat method as it’s known is responsible for Prosecco’s larger bead, lighter body and clean, fruit forward charm. So lovable in fact that it’s the number one sparkling wine consumed world wide and Americans are among Prosecco’s biggest fans. As such, we have many options and opportunities to enjoy the best among them, because of course, not all Proseccos are created equal. Check out our list of Prosecco experiences worth seeking in Alexandria:

AR Workshop (can we make the link live? https://www.arworkshop.com)

Stella Extra Dry Prosecco DOC – this energetic, lemony and off dry sparkler will elevate your creativity for crafting the coolest, on trend home decor projects with owner Katie Nguyen Wells as your guide. (IMAGE ATTACHED IS FROM AR WORKSHOP)

Hank’s Oyster Bar (http://hanksoysterbar.com)

Tiamo Brut Organic Prosecco DOC – As if there wasn’t already enough to love about Hank’s, this refreshing, dry and delicate bubbly delivers soft gardenia and pear flavors that play nicely with your briny bivalves.

Unwined (unwinedva.com)

Our store is a great place to learn while you sip. It’s the fine details that distinguish great wines from the average offering, and we love the slightly different styles that these two serious growers produce.

Adami Bosco di Gica Brut Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

This is classic, mineral driven Prosecco that wears Brut like a badge of honor. Steep, south facing slopes yield plenty of ripeness with nervy acidity to provide balance and refreshment. Sophisticated crowd pleaser.

Brancher Extra Dry Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

This newly imported grower, turned producer crafts around 6000 cases per year from 50+ year old vines grown on calcareous clay, and without the use of sulphur dioxide during fermentation. Complex flavors and fewer headaches.