Italian Prosecco continues to sparkle

Prosecco is the name of a grape and a town, but most people are discovering Prosecco as a vivacious, easy-to-enjoy sparkling wine.

Not as dry as "brut" Champagne, not simply sweet like Asti Spumante, Prosecco's delicate fruitiness makes it just right for breakfast (try a Bellini, originated at Harry's Bar in Prosecco metropolis, Venice,) lunch (all lighter dishes) and dinner (international antipasti from Italian bruschetta to Greek dolmades and Asian spring rolls).

User-friendly flavors and prices have made Prosecco the new big thing in the fizz bizz. The Nielsen Company reports that U.S. sales increased by about $5 million last year. That's a lot of $12 bottles, but still far behind growth in top sparkling wine markets Germany, France and Russia.

Bravo's then to Prosecco producers for putting the reins on stampeding growth. In a movement both timely and unified - qualities in which Italian bureaucracy is not reputed to excel - winemakers sought and won legislation to guarantee quality and curb overproduction.

Beginning this month, Prosecco's Conegliano-Valdobbiadene region in the hills north of Venice will be recognized with the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, Italy's most honored wine designation. The D, O and C are prestigious enough, carrying with them with strict codes of winegrowing and winemaking to guarantee authenticity. The G is the real prize, a guarantee of wine quality shared by only 41 Italian regions (from a field of thousands).

Nine communes surrounding the DOCG zone have received DOC status. Producers outside this boundary must strike "Prosecco" from labels and declare only "Glera", the grape name in regional dialect.

Prosecco's consortium states that quality and selection will increase but prices won't. Time and markets will tell. In the mean time, we can join the Prosecco party with these delicious and affordable labels:

Nino Franco, Rustico: Medium-bodied and dry-ish, with white peach, floral, bread dough and delicately-spiced complexity accented by refreshing acidity. ($14.99)

Zardetto, Brut: Lemon and blanched almond complexity with delicate froth. ($12.99)

Zonin: Creamy texture and yellow-apple roundness make Zonin a leader throughout the world and the U.S. You can even lift a glass at your local Olive Garden.

For tips on enjoying Prosecco, including a cookbook download, visit zoninprosecco.com. ($10.99)