Valdobbiadene, Prosecco & Bellenda
Perhaps we should start with a bit of background. Let’s start with Prosecco.
Prosecco
Prosecco is a sparkling wine made in Northeast Italy from the Grape Glera. Typically, this sparkling wine is made using the Martinotti method, similar to the Charmat method in France. Here, the wine is made, and the 2nd fermentation (which adds the bubbles) occurs in large tanks called Autoclaves.
But you will find producers making their sparkling wines in the Traditional method, also, where the 2nd fermentation happens in a bottle, as it does with Champagne.
There are also producers making Col Fondo, which is made using the Ancestral Method, in which fermentation is stopped by chilling the wine. The fermentation spontaneously continues after bottling.
The regions for Prosecco
You will find Prosecco made in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, the two most Eastern regions of Northern Italy. Within this area, there are 2 DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata)and 2 DOCGs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).
- Prosecco DOC – this covers the entire area.
- Prosecco DOC Treviso e Trieste – covers área within the larger DOC that surrounds the cities of Treviso in Veneto and Trieste in Friuli Venezia Giulia.
- Prosecco Asolo DOCG – Around the City of Asolo
- Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG, which spans the area between the cities of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
When we visited the region, we spent time in the beautiful Conegliano Valdobbiadene region. Here the vineyards span from rolling hills to steep vineyards where they practice “heroic viticulture”. That may sound overly dramatic, but you try hiking in those vineyards! We drove from Conegliano north through the steep hills to just north of Valdobbiadene and the village of Santo Stefano. The region is simply stunning.
Beyond the DOC and DOCGs, the region has 43 “Rive.” Think of these “Rive” as small microzones, typically around a village. These individual areas each bring something different, with the soils and microclimates that give the wine an even greater sense of place.
While in the area, we visited Col del Balt in Valdobbiadene and Eros Zanon in Follina.
You can read more about that here.
https://www.crushedgrapechronicles.com/celebrating-conegliano-valdobbiadene-prosecco-and-beyond/
Bellenda
I mentioned that we drove north from Conegliano. I captured the views as we drove and unwittingly captured the vineyards of Bellenda, whose wines at that time in 2022, I was not yet familiar with.
The winery and vineyards are in Carpesica, one of the 43 Rive, on rolling hills around the village.
I have been lucky enough since, to do 2 online tastings with Umberto Cosmo of Bellenda.
Bellenda was founded in 1987 by Umberto’s brother Sergio. The 3 brothers began from a family vineyard
Read more about them through these links.
San Fermo Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG by Bellenda
Millesima 2024
San Fermo is named for the small church on the edge of the vineyard in Carpescia. Soils here are limestone and clay with morainic deposits that came from the glacier that carved out the valley where Carpesica sits. This was the first wine they produced in 1986.
Here is a link to a wonderful video they made about this wine!
https://youtu.be/RGofUNX3kW0?si=nJ6omS2OBHiWfq7q
San Fermo Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG by Bellenda
Millesima 2024
Grapes for this wine are de-stemmed and gently pressed, then fermented. The wine sits sur lie (on the yeast cells) for 1-3 months. The 2nd fermentation is done in the Martinotti Method.
This wine has tiny bubbles and notes on the nose of sweet lemon, lemon zest, and crushed gravel. Once in your mouth, the flavors open up to include green apple and pear in addition to Meyer Lemon.
The texture is rich in your mouth, and the wine has a long finish.
Abv 11.5% – rs 7 g/L – Pressure 5.5 bar – SRP around $26
Pairing
Roasted Beech Mushrooms with Grana Padano
On Cheesy Polenta
With a Tarragon Basil and lemon pesto
I had seen some beautiful beech mushrooms at the store and picked them up. I knew that I wanted to roast them to crispiness, but what to pair theme with?
Polenta is always cravable for me, so I made a creamy polenta with Grana Padano cheese to put them on.
Then, with all that richness, I would need something to cut through with a bit of freshness and acidity. Also, you know me, it wouldn’t hurt if it was green. I mean, that makes the photo prettier! So I made a pesto of tarragon, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, hazelnuts, salt and pepper.
The brightness of this paired beautifully with the wine and the richness and umami of the dish were a brilliant contrast for the sparkling bubbles.
The recipe says it serves 4, but honestly it was so good we both went back for seconds.
Read more on sparkling Italian Wines from my fellow writers!
- Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm is “Celebrating our Anniversary with a Hugo Spritz”
- Camilla from Culinary Cam will be taking a look at “Beyond Prosecco: Exploring Other Italian Bubbles”
- Martin from Enofylz Wine Blog is sharing “Rethinking Lambrusco: A Metodo Classico Surprise from Cantina della Volta”
- Cathie from Side Hustle Wino shares “Lambrusco – A 21st Century Look at a Centuries Old Wine”
- Jennifer from Vino Travels will look at an array of Prosecco with “Bollicine di Primavera: Italy’s Finest Prosecco”
Roasted Beech Mushrooms with Grana Padano On Cheesy Polenta With a Tarragon Basil and lemon pesto
A cheesy polenta with Grana Padano is topped with crispy roasted beech mushrooms and a pesto of tarragon, basil, and lemon to cut through the richness. This pairs beautifully with a bright Prosecco, most especially this San Fermo from Bellenda.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of water
- ½ Tsp salt
- 1 cup of Polenta
- ½ cup of chicken stock
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup of grated Grana Padano
- 1 clump of beech mushrooms
- 1/3 cup evoo
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ cup finely grated Grana Padano
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon
- 1 cup of fresh basil
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1/8 cup of chopped shallot
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- ½ cup grated Grana Padano
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup of chopped hazelnuts
- 1 tsp freshly grated black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
Instructions
Place the top rack in your oven, 4-6 inches from the heat source
Place a large baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 475 degrees
While that is heating, bring the water and salt for the polenta to a boil in a medium pot.
Whisk in the polenta, and stir for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat and cook another 20-25 minutes.
While the polenta is cooking
Trim the base of the mushrooms and separate.
Toss in a bowl with the EVOO and pepper
When the oven is heated, spread them on the heated baking sheet.
Back for 15 minutes, tossing them every 5 for an even cook.
While this is cooking, make the pesto.
Mix all items except the evoo in a food processor.
Gradually drizzle in the evoo until the pesto is the consistency you
like. This may require more or less EVOO.
Check on your mushrooms.
After 15 minutes, remove and toss with ¼ cup of Grana Padano and place back in the oven
for 2 minutes.
By now, your polenta should be cooked.
Add the chicken stock to thin down the polenta. Stir to incorporate. You may need more or less to get to your preferred texture.
Add the butter and cheese and stir until incorporated.
Plating
Place the polenta in a bowl, top with the mushrooms, and set a scoop of pesto on the
side that can be stirred into each bite.
Top with grated Grana Padano and Lemon Zest.
Serve with a Brut Prosecco.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 721Total Fat 69gSaturated Fat 16gUnsaturated Fat 52gCholesterol 41mgSodium 529mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 6gSugar 2gProtein 11g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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