Valdo Oro Puro Prosecco Superiore

From - Valdobbiadene, Italy
Grape - Glera
Alcohol - 12% abv
Available from - Waitrose; Ocado
Price - £13.49 (currently one-third off this price)

Appearance - Clear; pale; lemon-green

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developed; pears and grapes

Palate - Dry; medium+ acidity; medium alcohol; medium- intensity medium mousse; medium body; medium length; Green fruit, lemon finish.

Balance - 8  Length - 6.5  Intensity - 4.5  Complexity - 4

This is a very nice, refreshing bottle of that wine that is all the rage currently.  It seems to be on fairly regular discount, as well, and has won a 'best sparkling' gong from Which? magazine.  A wine to drink as an aperitif, in my opinion, and  it has served this purpose as a pre-Christmas breakfast aperitif, today!

Waitrose Bright & Fruity Italian Sparkling White

From - Veneto, Italy
Grape - Glera
Alcohol - 11.5%
From - Waitrose
Price - £6.49

Appearance - Clear, pale to water-white; almost colourless

Nose - Clean; medium- intensity; developing; apple

Palate - Dry; medium acid; medium- body; creamy mousse; medium- intensity; medium- length; apple, lemon

Balance - 8  Length - 4  Intensity - 3  Complexity - 3

This is a light and refreshing fizzy white, and is a bargain.  I used it for a tasting and it went down a storm.  It uses the Glera grape, which is the same as is used for Prosecco.  However, this wine is produced just outside the proscribed geographical area for it to carry the Prosecco name.  This, together with it being shop's own brand, means that it is much lower price than it would otherwise be.