Page 18 - Italian-American Herald - February 2025

18 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | FEBRUARY 2025 THROUGH THE
GRAPEVINE
Feeling bubbly on Valentine’s Day?
Get to know Prosecco and spumante
By Natalie
Pantaleo
Wow, how time
flies! It’s hard to
believe an entire year
has passed since I
wrote my column
on love potions for
last February’s issue. This year, I’m all about
bubbles! Why not, right? If there were an
official season for bubbly, it would be winter,
from New Year’s Eve to Valentine’s Day. So,
Valentines, whether you’re planning a cozy
dinner for two or heading to a BYOB on
Feb. 14, if you’re going to be toasting, I
recommend doing it Italian style. Here are
some tidbits for choosing a sparkling wine
from the country of love to make the perfect
selection for your romantic plans.
PROSECCO
You likely know that Prosecco is Italy’s answer
to Champagne. What you may not know
is what makes it different. First, technically
speaking, sparkling wines labeled Prosecco in
Italy can only be made from grapes grown in
the provinces of Veneto and require a DOC
or DOCG-protected designation. Also, unlike
Champagne, which traditionally develops
its fizz inside the bottles
over time, Prosecco
is made using the
Charmat method.
According to
MasterClass.com, “The
Charmat method is a
sparkling winemaking
process that traps
bubbles in wine
via carbonation in large steel tanks. This
technique is also called metodo Italiano, the
Marinotti method, the tank method, or cuve
close (“sealed tank,” from the French cuvée,
or vat).”
Additionally, the types of grapes used in
French and Italian sparkling wines differ.
Champagne is typically made from Pinot
Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, while
Prosecco is primarily made from the Glera
grape. This distinction results in different
flavor profiles: Champagne tends to feature
notes of almond, cherry, citrus, toast, and
white peach, whereas Prosecco offers flavors
of honeydew, pear, fresh cream, and green
apple.
If your Valentine’s Day dinner includes
pizza, seafood (such as sushi), or appetizers
and salads, Prosecco is a great choice to pair
with these dishes.
SPUMANTE
“Spumante,” the Italian term for sparkling
wine, covers a range of effervescent wines.
When a spumante is labeled “extra dry,”
it usually indicates a slightly sweeter
taste compared to the drier
“brut” variety. This level of
sweetness is determined
by the amount of sugar,
measured in grams per
liter, added to the wine.
However, according
to Lacuscinaitaliana.
com, “There’s no
difference between
Prosecco and spumante
sparkling wine in terms
of varieties, influenced
ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
by the amount of sugars present: both can be
dry, brut and the varying levels in between.”
Other wine experts note that the main
difference between the two Italian sparkling
wines is that Spumante features more
persistent bubbles. Similar to Prosecco, it
pairs excellently with shellfish, as well as
cured meats and cheeses, making it an ideal
choice for enjoying a charcuterie board.
Regardless of the Italian bubbles you opt
for this Valentine’s Day, popping corks is all
about celebrating. Here’s to love! “Quando
ti ho visto mi sono innamorato, e tu mi hai
sorriso perchè lo sapevi.” [“When I saw you,
I fell in love and you smiled because you
knew it.”] William Shakespeare. IAH
Natalie Pantaleo is a marketing
communications consultant, brand strategist
and consummate storyteller based in the
Greater Philadelphia metro area. In addition
to being a published features writer, Natalie
is the author of “Lying Down with Dogs,” a
novella globally released by The Awakened
Press in September 2022.
PAGINA ITALIANA
CRONACA INTERNAZIONALE
Meloni, ‘Disoccupazione ai minimi, tasso
di donne occupate da record’
ANSA
ROMA – “Vado fiera dei dati
sull’economia.” Abbiamo il tasso di
occupazione più alto dalla Spedizione dei
Mille e il tasso di disoccupazione più basso
da quando è stato lanciato il primo iPhone.
Gli ultimi dati Istat relativi al terzo
trimestre 2024 hanno confermato questa
tendenza, e ci dicono che il tasso di
occupazione è arrivato al 62,4% e che la
disoccupazione continua a calare, con una
riduzione dello 0,6% rispetto al trimestre
precedente.
“E sono particolarmente orgogliosa del
fatto che, sotto il primo governo guidato da
una donna, il tasso di occupazione femminile
sia il più alto di sempre e che per la prima
volta abbiamo superato il tetto dei dieci
milioni di donne lavoratrici.” Lo afferma sui
social la premier Giorgia Meloni, richiamando
alcuni dei temi di cui ha parlato nell’intervista
pubblicata oggi dal settimanale ‘7’ del
Corriere della Sera. “C’è una grandissima e
ritrovata fiducia da parte degli investitori e
dei mercati nei confronti del Sistema Italia.
Abbiamo registrato il record nella
richiesta per i nostri titoli di Stato, lo spread
è nettamente inferiore rispetto a quando ci
siamo insediati, la Borsa Italiana ha toccato il
record e le agenzie di rating hanno migliorato
il loro giudizio - aggiunge -. Quelli che
qualcuno sperava fossero i punti deboli di
questo governo sono diventati dei punti di
forza. Certo, questo non significa che in Italia
vada tutto bene e che la totalità dei problemi
sia stata risolta, ma l’inversione di rotta c’è.
Detto ciò, sono comunque convinta che
dobbiamo e possiamo fare sempre di più e
meglio.”
VIAGGIO MUSICALE
SUNDAYS AT 2 P.M. WWDB-AM 860
SUNDAYS AT 6 P.M. CRUISIN’ 92.1 FM WVLT
Featuring well known host
Melissa Cannavo-Marino
and her co-host Nick Alessandrini
Each program is an hour of Italian classics plus the most current sounds of Italy
STREAMING LIVE ON TUNEIN.COM
For inquires:
302-525-9928
or email jtciaprm@yahoo.com
Programming production under the auspices of
L’Associazione Regionale Abruzzese Delco
PO Box 902, Brookhaven, PA 19015
Dr. Nicholas De Pace is a noninvasive cardiologist whose passion
is heart health and the treatment of autonomic dysfunctions. His
practice has been part of the Italian-American community since
1983. He has published several leading articles in his field and
co-authored the book, The Heart Repair Manual.
Dr. DePace treats his patients holistically, naturally, and medically and
when possible, tries to avoid bypass and other invasive procedures.
What Patients say about Dr. De Pace
“The absolute best Cardiologist, period. Truly cares about his
patients and has a great friendly, knowledgeable staff. ”
1100 Liberty Place, Sicklerville, NJ 08081
856.589.6034 | franklincardiovascular.com