I was very excited to be asked to participate in the first ever Mionetto Prosecco Virtual Tasting with the CEO of Freixenet Mionetto USA, Enore Ceola. He greeted us by introducing Prosecco as “An everyday pleasure to reward yourself, without breaking the bank.” Please see end of this post for his bio. Mionetto Prosecco is a favorite of mine – available on-line, locally at Target and Walmart and special-order Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar. Mionetto sent me samples of the prosecco, then we met on Zoom with 30+ journalists including food and wine writers/bloggers. Very good company!

11 THINGS You Might Not Know About Mionetto!

Mionetto was founded in 1887 by winemaker Francesco Mionetto in Valdobbiadene, the heart of the Prosecco region, just north of Venice.

As one of the areaʼs oldest wine producers, Mionetto has long-standing relationships with vineyard partners, ensuring a consistent supply of quality grapes year after year.

Mionettoʼs mantra is absolute freshness. Itʼs the only Prosecco producer to bottle on demand – as soon as an order comes in and not a moment sooner.

Mionetto Prestige Brut is made from 100% Glera grapes. In 2009, the Glera grape was renamed from Prosecco.

Mionetto Organic was the first Prosecco made from organically-grown grapes.

Mionetto Rosé is not a Prosecco, itʼs classified as a sparkling wine. In fact, there are no rosé Proseccos – just yet! The Prosecco Consortium is working to loosen regulations.

There are 49 billion bubbles in one bottle of Mionetto and the cork pops at a speed of 25MPH!

Prosecco has fewer calories than most wine—especially Mionetto since itʼs one of the driest Proseccos—and many believe itʼs actually good for you. In moderation, Prosecco can improve blood vessel function.

Prosecco is not always bubbly. It can be made in sparkling, semi-sparkling, or still, but all Mionetto Proseccos are sparkling or semi-sparkling.

Just like the grade of the wineryʼs rolling hills, the Mionetto label is set at the same 27 degrees to honor its origins and history.

The Mionetto winemaking tradition continues today under winemaker Alessio Del Savio, who studied as Francescoʼs grandson, Sergio Mionettoʼs, protégé for over 15 years

I was very excited to taste the Mionetto Prosecco Doc Organic Extra Dry. In their PRESTIGE collection, it is made from grapes cultivated without usage of chemical product nor synthetical fertilizers and it’s produced from a vinification kept separate from other processes. A sparkling Prosecco with a persistent perlage, it merges delicate fragrances of acacia blossoms and strong tastes of golden apple, pineapple and orange. 

Enore Ceola introduced us to this organic prosecco as one of the first organic proseccos on the market. It has a more pronounced flavor – green apple that prosecco is known for. He explained that it is a more rustic, earthy proscecco that pairs well with salad in the summer, comfort foods all year round – pasta, macaoni and cheese, meatballs.

Fried ravioli served with Mionetto Prosecco DOC Organic Extra Dry is the perfect appetizer for an outdoor picnic. These days our backyards may very well be our vacation destination, so let’s get out and enjoy the sunshine close to home.

Fried Burrata Cheese, Roasted Tomato and Basil Filled Ravioli

8.8 ounce refrigerated package HemisFares “Girasoli” – Burrata Cheese, Roasted Tomato and Basil Filled Pasta (ravioli)

vegetable oil for frying

1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1 cup Progresso Italian-style breadcrumbs

Heat vegetable oil (just enough to cover bottom of pan) in a saute pan.

Dip ravioli into egg wash and breadcrumbs. Cover both sides of ravioli with breadcrumbs. Fry in hot oil, flipping once, until both sides are nicely browned.

Serve warm with Figaretti’s Award Winning Spaghetti Sauce and a swirl of Basil Pesto.

(Ravioli and Figaretti’s Spaghetti sauce are available locally at Kroger.)

Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut is my “go to” prosecco. With aromas of golden apple, honey and white peach, it is a lovely apéritif, accompaniment to meals and in bubbly cocktails.

Firecrackers

Recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine.

11 ounce package Kebbler Mini Clubhouse Crackers

3 tablespoons Clark and Hopkins Chesapeake Bay Artisan Pepper Sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 Tbsp. (about 2 packages) ranch dressing mix
2 Tbsp. red pepper flakes
1 cup olive oil

1. Using a large gallon Ziploc bag, pour in the olive oil, seasonings, pepper sauce and spices. Close the bag and knead to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.

2. Place the crackers in the bag, re-seal, and gently turn the bag over several times to coat the crackers with the spice mixture. The more times you do, this the better the coating.

3. Let the bag sit overnight.

4. Remove crackers and lay out on a baking sheet. Bake at 250°F for about 15 minutes.

Note: If you are short on time, the crackers still taste great skipping the baking in Step 4.

Cartizze DOCG is part of Mionetto’s Luxury Collection. This elegant Cartizze boasts luminous golden highlights that are fluted by a near-endless, delicate bead of tiny bubbles. A majestic, multi-faceted bouquet releases seductive impressions of apple and pear, alongside notes of citrus and glazed almond. On the palate it is crisp, wellbalanced, and elegant. Excellent pairing with cakes, pastries, fruit salads and tarts. Also pairs very well with seafood and elegant fish dishes.

Enore Ceola encouraged us to pair Cartizze with oysters – unbelievable!

Blueberry Lemonade Bellinis

Fruity boozy Bellinis ~ perfect treat for brunch!

Makes 8 cocktails

Blueberry Syrup:

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 pint fresh blueberries + more for garnish

Place blueberries in a small saucepan with sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, turn heat down and let simmer 10 minutes. Mash blueberries with a fork while simmering the syrup. Remove from heat and let cool.

Place blueberry mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a mesh strainer, and return to blender. Add one cup of ice and blend until ice is crushed.

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons Simple Syrup

Add lemon juice and simple syrup to blueberry mixture. Stir.

12 ounces Blueberry Acai Vodka

Mionetto Cartizze Prosecco, chilled

Place 1.5 ounces Blueberry Acai Vodka in each flute. Top with 5 tablespoons blueberry syrup. Stir. Top with Mionetto Cartizze Prosecco. Add one small ice cube. Garnish with fresh blueberries.

Prestige Collection Mionetto Rosé is the result of soft pressing of red grapes. Peach blossom color with shiny reflections accompanied by a fine, lively perlage. Intense fragrant, fruity nose with hints of violet, raspberry, morello cherry and wild strawberry. One of the participants suggested using these cute little mini bottles for condiments or salad dressing on your dining room table after you drink the prosecco.

Enore Ceola: Born in the heart of the Prosecco region, Enore Ceola grew up on a winery in the Fruili and Veneto regions of Italy. After studying Architectural Science at the Institute of Technology at Pordenone and a stint as a civil engineer, Ceola could no longer deny his passion for wine. In 1997, he returned to his family roots. Soon thereafter, he found himself in New York City, introducing to the United States not only Mionetto, but Prosecco itself.

By 2000, Ceola had achieved success in the competitive New York marketplace and expanded his focus to New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Illinois. He then travelled across the country educating people about the world of Prosecco and the rich history of Mionetto.
Praising Mionetto and Ceolaʼs efforts, The New York Times proclaimed: “Perhaps no one has pushed harder to establish Prosecco in the United States than Mionetto.”
Named a Hot Brand by Impact Magazine for eleven consecutive years and a Fast Track Brand by Beverage Dynamics for ten consecutive years, Ceolaʼs dedication has certainly paid off. Now, Mionetto is a nationally distributed brand, often attributed with branding the Prosecco name in the United States.
Ceola is currently the CEO and Managing Director of Freixenet Mionetto USA. He lives in Great Barrington, MA with his wife Ursula and their two children. Outside of work, Ceola enjoys travelling, skiing, and spending time with his family.

Salute!

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