Try little-known prosecco on picnic or at poolside

Many folks don't know about prosecco, a white wine from Italy's Veneto region.

Yet others swear by this sparking wine that is affordably priced. It is more popular overseas than in this country. Many folks compare it to a spumante; others drink it instead of a wine cooler.

It is fresh, young and light --very drinkable.

Prosecco is the name of the grape, and while still wines are made from this varietal, the grape is at its best when made into a sparkling. Most of these wines are relatively dry.

It has lemon and other citrus flavors and should be enjoyed cold.

The wine-tasting group recently sampled four of these wines. Here is what we found:

- Mionetto Prosecco Brut at $12.99. This wine had a chalky aroma, with pleasant mineral and steely smells. It was light, clean and dry. The finish was very dry.

- Villa Sandi Prosecco at $12.99. This wine smelled and tasted of banana and bubble gum flavors, with hints of peach. It had lots of effervescence and good balance. It was most pleasant on the finish. Some of my experts suggested this as a poolside wine. The Villa Sandi had a most unusual bottle, thicker than most, that is supposed to keep the wine chilled longer than normal bottles. It might work well on a picnic.

- 2001 Col Sandago Prosecco Extra Dry at $12.99. This had a more muted aroma than the others, but it offered green apples and lemon flavors. It was made more in an Old World style than the others, meaning not as much emphasis on fresh fruit. Of the four, this wine was the most complex, the most serious about being a wine. It ranked No. 1 in our tasting.

- Zardetto Prosecco Brut at $11.99. The aroma was full of perfume, flowers and dried fruit. It was the least-sparkling of the group in the glass, but it was most full of bubbles in the mouth. It had a crisp finish. Not all markets carry prosecco, but its availability has improved in the past few years. For people looking for an easy-drinking, quaffable wine, this might be worth a look.

Questions can be sent to Frank Sutherland, editor, The Tennessean, 1100 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. 37203 or e-mailed to editor