Prosecco.
There’s a reason why Prosecco is essentially considered the official wine of Venice - actually, there are two reasons.
The first is that in the era before modern transportation, the Piave river made it easy to transport all kinds of goods, including wine, from Treviso province to the city on the lagoon, as it’s often called.
The other reason is that Prosecco is probably the world’s greatest wine pairing for seafood.
The name is actually Slovenian, from prozek, or "path through the woods," so it makes sense that a glass here and there helps us negotiate the challenges of life! A dry, lighter style of sparkling wine that originated in the village of Prosecco in northern Italy, it is made from the grape Glera and was grown in Ancient Rome.
Australia makes exceptional quality Prosecco, the King Valley, famous for making Prosecco has even named a road after it - yes it’s called Prosecco Road! And yes, we are allowed to call it that but it may be a different story in the future.
While Prosecco is typically paired with traditional Italian antipasti, seafood and other light snacks you don't always need to stick to the same offering every time – take the lead from your local cocktail bar and go the extra mile with bar snacks. Toast your nuts and add spices for more depth of flavour, or try some fried stuffed olives at your next dinner party.
This Christmas we will be starting the day with one of our perfect food and wine pairings, Cloak & Dagger Prosecco and freshly shucked oysters with mignonette.
Freshly shucked oysters with Mignonette
This one is really easy! Invest in an oyster shucker and never look back! It is a complete crime to purchase oysters opened that you are not going to eat straight away. Moonlight flat oysters, Moonlight Flat Angasi and Claire de Lune Bouton are some of the best oysters when available. Be very careful to check the seasons and avoid when spawning.
Mignonette is a classic shallot vinaigrette sauce that is used to garnish raw oysters.
Ingredients
2 shallots
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
As many oysters as desired!
Method
Chop the shallots very finely. Add the red wine vinegar and mix well. Save refrigerated until ready to use.
To make the mignonette granita just put in the freezer, let it rest for about 30 minutes then stir and place back in the freezer. Repeat the process until you have a mix that looks like a cross between crushed ice and fresh snow. A fun way to serve in the warmer months.
Prosecco Cocktails.
Time to get a little creative
Sgroppino.
A classic Sgroppino from the Veneto region in Northern Italy is made with lemon sorbet and vodka, topped with sparkling wine. We have swapped the vodka for Applewood limoncello and used the Cloak & Dagger Prosecco from the King Valley. Dessert and a boozy smoothie all in one.
Ingredients
1 scoop of sorbet
15ml of a quality Limoncello
Prosecco
Method
Place sorbet into a wide rimmed wine glass.
Add Limoncello.
Top with Cloak & Dagger Prosecco from King Valley, Victoria.
Serve. Repeat.
Sgroppino is the perfect refreshing cocktail for a hot summers day.
summer of spritz.
Aperol spritz is far from a 21st century phenomenon; in fact, this easy drinking cocktail has been a favourite for more than half a century.
Aperol itself didn't come into being until 1919, the idea of a spritz has been around for much longer. The name appears to trace back to the 1800s in when portions of the Veneto region of northern Italy were controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Visitors and soldier from other parts of the empire were said to have found Italian wines too strong and so lightened them with a splash (a "spritz," in German) of water.
One of our favourite Aperitivo’s that should be enjoyed with friends and family. Simple, quick and the ultimate thirst quencher.
Ingredients
60mL Aperol
60mL prosecco
30mL soda water
Orange wedge, to garnish
Ice
Method
Fill a wine glass with lots of ice
Add all ingredients to your wine glass
Stir with long spoon and garnish with an orange wedge