NV Zardetto Z Extra Dry Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene 750 ml

Prosecco is practically pure bottled fun. The Italian bubbly takes the celebratory nature of Champagne and removes every ounce of stuffiness, leaving only joy and conviviality. As a friend says: “No Prosecco, no party. Know Prosecco…know party!”

Zardetto’s Z Extra Dry Superiore hails from the hilly Conegliano Valdobbiadene region, which is widely recognized as the greatest terroir for Prosecco production. The area’s steep hills require significantly more labor to farm than the flatlands that inform most non-Superiore bottles. Some estimates suggest it’s nearly four times as expensive to work on the steep slopes, but it’s worth it for the finessed, complex character that struggle brings to the finished wine.

The most austere Proseccos are labeled “Brut.” But classical Prosecco bottlings are Extra Dry, which sit one step up on the dryness scale, allowing for 12 to 17 grams per liter of residual sugar. What makes Zardetto’s Z Extra Dry Superiore such a classic representation of the category is how that sugar registers on the palate—giving texture and fruit to Glera grapes from one of Italy’s best sparkling-wine terroirs. This wine feels lifted, vivid, and elegant, not cloying in the least.

Zardetto has nearly a century of history producing Prosecco, and the generations of passed-down wisdom in both growing and vinifying this sparkling wine come through here. We love this bottling because it’s perfectly balanced between succulent fruit flavors, highlighted by white peach and green apple, and just enough zesty brightness to keep it lively and refreshing on the palate. It’s a perfect aperitif, but also delightful with slightly spicy cuisine from the mole verde of Oaxaca to northern Thai Khao Soi.