Voga Italia Prosecco Still

A Prosecco that has no bubbles. And it’s intended to be that way.

Wait. What?

Nope, this isn’t Prosecco that lost its fizz after being opened for a couple of days. Instead, Voga Italia Prosecco Still is just that — a still wine.

It’s made by Voga Italia, part of Enovation Brands. CEO Giovanni Pecora explains that Prosecco can be made in three styles: Spumante (fully sparkling), Frizzante (semi-sparkling), and Tranquillo (still).

I had a chance to try a sample, which comes in a trendy contemporary bottle that looks very much like the a Voss water bottle. Unscrew the plastic cap and there’s a cork underneath.

This wine is made from the Glera grape from the Veneto region of Italy. With plenty of acid and minerality, this refreshing wine tastes of green apple, lemon, lime, and a touch of kiwi.

Enjoy it alongside sushi, ceviche, grilled chicken, shrimp kebabs, or a charcuterie board with goat cheese, especially in these last days of summer.

If you sip Prosecco mostly for the fun bubbles, give this one a try because it allows you to really taste this grape varietal in a deeper way.

Find it for about $14.99 at Total Wine & More, and BuyWinesOnline.

Cheers: The production of Prosecco is thought to have originated during Roman times, before becoming popularized in the Veneto region in the 1800s. Even though we most know it as a sparkling wine, historically it was always made as a still one, too.

2023 Idlewild Flora & Fauna Rosé Wine

A taste of northwest Italy’s Piedmont region in the heart of downtown Healdsburg. That’s what Idlewild Wines aim to produce with its single-varietal wines.

I had a chance to sample its lovely 2023 Flora & Fauna Rosé ($30), a blend of 41 percent Nebbiolo, 30 percent Dolcetto, and 29 percent Barbera, with a touch of Grignolina. The grapes are from Fox Hill Vineyard, southeast of Ukiah.

Pale salmon in color, this North Coast wine has a sharpness that both wakes up and refreshes it nicely. The taste of tart strawberries hits first, giving way to raspberries, tangerines, and a hint of roses.

Enjoy this zingy wine with tapas, turkey burgers, seafood pasta, charcuterie, or juicy pork chops.

Find the wine at the downtown Healdsburg winery, or at retailers such as Vivino.

Cheers: Idlewild got some serious bank behind it this spring when it was acquired by David Drummond, a longtime chief legal officer of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, who was one of the tech industry’s highest-ranking Black executives. It is now part of his Overshine Wine Co., which also includes Comunità wines. Idlewild’s co-founder Sam Bilbro remains a managing partner and winemaker.

More: Summer Sips, Part I