Most wine grape categories have a national or international day to commemorate and enjoy them, prosecco seems to have earned an entire week – June 11 to 16.

The area around the village of Prosecco, in northeastern Italy, has been planted with vineyards for almost 3,000 years, and it is the glera grape grown there that is responsible for this very popular bubbly. Champagne is far more costly, as each bottle is fermented and produced on its own; prosecco is created in large tanks under pressure and then each bottle is filled from this supply. This method, that is so much less labour intensive, does not create the very tiny and persistent bubbles of champagne, but the result is still most enjoyable – and less expensive. It is called the Charmat method.

In 2013, 155 million bottles of prosecco were produced and by 2022 this figure was 638 million bottles, an enviable accomplishment that has also been enhanced by a rosé version of this wine. It certainly reflects the fact that many people are shopping wisely, with their thoughts on value.

I hope that I can be excused by breaking the rule right from the start and lead off with a non-prosecco rosé, but I have two good reasons for doing so. I will share them: Santa Margherita Sparkling Rosé hails from the very same area as prosecco and it is made the exact the same way. Until recently the law stipulated that this wine had to be 100 per cent glera grapes and this was lowered to 85 per cent to allow for some red grapes to create rosé. Santa Margherita has stuck to their formulae of 50 per cent chardonnay, 45 per cent glera and 5 per cent malbec and so breaks this requirement.

Also, they tell us that this wine contains six grams of residual sugar per litre, or just a smidgen more than half of 1 per cent. Once a wine goes over this figure our 10,000 taste buds ask the question, “Are we detecting a hint of sweetness?” Most table wines are under this threshold, but some can fool you. A good example is brut champagne that can have around 1.5 per cent sugar (the acidity and tiny bubbles mask this).

Canadian critic Natalie MacLean comments, “This lovely Italian sparkling rosé is fresh and lively in the glass. 91/100.” May I also share that I have been watching with much interest her release of a new book in Canada a few weeks ago. Wine Witch on Fire seems to be selling like wildfire and I had the privilege of proofreading a draft late last year. Quite a page turner! The rosé costs $23.70 (Stock #8887).

La Marca Prosecco Rosé DOC sticks to the rules with 89 per cent glera and 11 per cent pinot noir. Their winemaker has this to say: “Shining from the first toast to the last sip, our playful pop of pink offers an effervescent new way to enjoy rosé. Offering the bright, crisp fruit and floral essence of our traditional prosecco with the delicate elegance of pinot noir, La Marca Prosecco Rosé DOC sparkles with our classic notes of fresh-picked citrus, honeysuckle, peach and pear, blending with hints of ripe red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry. Lively and refreshingly zesty, this bubbly is perfect for both playful occasions and spontaneous celebrations.” $25.95 (Stock #6710).

In keeping with the wines that the Pasqua family have been producing since 1925, their Pasqua Romeo & Juliet Prosecco Rosé is yours for a modest $21. This is an elegant and delicious rosé that, with the addition of pinot noir grapes, gives us a fresh and lively bubbly with lush raspberry notes along with citrus and stone fruit. (Stock #8855).

Luciano Canella founded his winery in 1947 and today his two daughters and two sons run it. Their name is synonymous with prosecco, and they are early pioneers of this wine. Canella Prosecco Superiore DOCG 2020 is a beautiful straw yellow colour with subtle perlage. It is crisp and the floral notes add a joyful note. Lovely with cheese, white meats, and dried fruit biscuits. $24.75 (Stock #9028).

La Marca Prosecco has done a remarkable marketing job and taken full advantage of the growth of this category. It is at the top, or near the top, of the US market, and here in Bermuda. One site calls it a “great champagne for any occasion”. Of course, this is very naughty and totally illegal here, as Bermuda follows much of the world that stipulates the use of wine areas like Champagne and Chablis only to refer to the authentic wine from the specified appellation. Wilfred Wong of Wine.com and James Suckling score the La Marca 90/100. $28.90 (Stock #6709).

Hopefully you have recovered from me including a non-prosecco rosé and so I am going to do it again! This time it will be Ca’del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvee Prestige DOCG. I just wanted you to know that Italy can employ the same painstaking methods legislated in Champagne. According to critic Wilfred Wong, “Over the decades, the wine cognoscenti has recognised Ca' del Bosco as one of the world's top sparkling wine producers. The winery's cuvée prestige is an outstanding effort. Tasting notes: This wine is complex, attractive, and fresh. Enjoy its creamy, ripe fruit aroma with grilled chicken thighs over a bed of al dente noodles. 93/100.”

James Suckling is not far behind with 92 points. He has this to say: “Aromas of stone fruit and spring flowers with a lightly savoury, pastry-like complexity. The palate has a smooth, elegant feel and the finish is dry, light, bright and crisp. A neat wine, well-delivered. Drink now.” I think that Natalie MacLean did not expect such excellence as she called it “bizarrely great”. $49.40 (Stock #8892).

This column is an advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm. Burrows Lightbourn have stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554) and Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available at www.wineonline.bm