Today, one of the most popular sparkling wines comes from the northern part of Italy, in an area surrounding Venice. The Prosecco DOC is the largest in Italy, covering nearly 70,000 acres. Over 500 million bottles of Prosecco are produced annually. This story is about a superb sparkling wine from Tussock Jumper. You’ll be shocked at the price (read to the end of the review to find the answer). As a bonus, we’ve discovered WINEWHISK, a cheap and super-fun, easy way to enhance your non-sparkling wines!
Bubbly in Past History:
Effervescence has been observed in wine since at least the time of the Roman Empire, but the appearance of the bubbles was little understood. In fact, it was considered a problem. The tendency of wine from northeastern France to lightly sparkle was noted in the Middle Ages but this was considered a fault.
The famous Dom Pérignon was actually tasked with ridding the bottles of bubbles since the pressure in the bottles caused many of them to burst in the cellar. As time passed, however, effervescent wines of the region became popular as they were often served during coronation ceremonies of the French kings which were then held in the city of Rheims.
Since the days of the French kings, sparkling wine production has been introduced all throughout the world, from the Carneros region of California to the Catalonia region of Spain, to the Piedmonte and Veneto region of Italy. Other important production regions include Hungary, Romania, Chile, and the southern tip of Brazil.
Tussock Jumper Prosecco, DOC
At a recent wine tasting, we sampled Tussock Jumper, Prosecco DOC (non-vintage) Tussock Jumper is a premium wine brand created by wine specialists from eleven different countries that aims to bring together the world’s very best wines under a single, distinctive, quality mark: the woolly red sweater of Tussock Jumper. The company is not a vintner, but rather a Negociant, concentrating on selecting the best value-for-money wines and sharing them with the world.
The Tussock Jumper Prosecco (DOC) is made from 100 percent Glera, a native grape variety from Treviso area. Glera has moderately high acidity and generally has a nose of melon, stone fruits, and white flowers, and the palate generally features citrus notes.
The Sparkling Wine Process
The wine is made using the Charmat method in steel autoclave. The wine itself is light and crisp, with a light mousse reflective of sparkling wines made in this manner.
The nose was very floral, with a bit of melon, and on the palate. In our taste test, we found the wine to be refreshing and crisp. It was more citrus dominant, but with apple and pear notes as well as some cardamom on the finish.
As we enjoyed this on a warm evening watching the sunset, we agree that this Tussock Jumper makes a great party wine or just for relaxing after a long day. The citrusy character makes it a great wine for salads, pasta, and particularly for seafood. Tussock Jumper is also available in a Rose blend.
At What Cost?
The affordability of Prosecco is one reason that it has become so popular worldwide. Therefore, Tussock Jumper Prosecco is… (wait for it….) just $13 a bottle! It’s almost hard to believe it but it’s true. For more on Tussock Jumper Prosecco and other Tussock Jumper wines visit: www.tussockjumperwines.com
BONUS!
Unlock Your Wines’ Potential With a WINEWHISK
As we were putting the finishing touches on this story, we received a box containing the WINEWHISK.
Unlike Dom Pérignon, we would never suggest you beat the bubbles out of your prosecco or champagne. But that’s not really what the WineWisk is for.
The little rubbery “spoons” are a unique type of wine aerator that you clip onto the rim of your glass of (non-bubbly) wine. There are little ridges on the inside of the WINEWHISK When you swirl the wine in your glass, it makes bubbles that mix with oxygen. This opens up the wine for a smoother taste.
The more your swirl your glass, the more your wine will aerate. In our test, it really did make a difference. You’ll be amazed at what such a little thing can do for your vino! Try it and see!
The 6 WINEWHISKS in the package ($15) are different colors (or choose black and white). They make it easy to identify your glass, too. It’s a low-tech and clever way to enhance your wine. Great for picnics and glamping! For more information visit https://winewisk.com/
