Review: Vigna Cantina Prosecco 2023. A ‘we can do that too’ nod in an Italian direction.

The Barossa Zone isn’t meant to deliver decent bubbles, right? Not unless they’re red, at least? This Vigna Cantina is Dom Torzi, proving that the Valleys (and hills) can deliver handy fizz. Prosecco is a pretty unlikely vehicle to do it, but here we are. Glowing green, this rich, juicy, dry Prosecco tastes like it’s an ocean away from the Conegliano (which it obviously is), but that doesn’t mean it’s not a quality expression of what Glera/Prosecco/whatever you want to call it (but really should be called Prosecco) can be. Green apples, a little sunshine pear fruit, apple juice, some of the Glera acacia fragrance, then a palate of dry, juicy weight. That last part is important because on the flat lands of Prosecco DOC (the farcical Prosecco ‘region’ that covers half of northern Italy), ginormous yields mean that many Prosecco wines lack intensity. It’s not until you get to the steep, verdant, low-yielding hillside vineyards that Prosecco actually tastes like something. This Vigna Cantina tastes like something. It’s maybe a little too sunny to be sublime, but contextually, it’s quite a Prosecco achievement for $28 (and $20 direct from Torzi Matthews).

THE VERDICT

• Best drinking: now
• Score (out of 20): 17.7
• Score (out of 100): 92
• Alcohol %: 12
• RRP (in $AUD): 28
• Winery website: https://torzimatthews.com.au/
• Would I buy it?: a glass or two, yes