Do try this at home!
It’s not every day that one is invited to a blind tasting designed to re-discover the delights of Prosecco DOC during National Prosecco Week (June 24-30, 2024). And, it certainly isn’t commonplace for the event to be led by Dr. Hoby Wedler, an organic chemistry expert with a passion for wine, who has been blind since birth.
Dr. Hoby Wedler
An intimate group of wine experts and wine writers gathered in a private dining room in Manhattan to participate in “Tasting in the Dark: A Sensory Journey Discovering Prosecco DOC” hosted by Dr. Wedler.
Tasting in the Dark
Since 2011, Hoby has been conducting Tasting in the Dark as a blindfolded wine tasting event to stimulate people’s sensory awareness. Initially, his audiences were made up of blind and visually impaired students attending chemistry camp. Another event was created in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola in Northern California wine country.
In 2012, while still a graduate student at the University of California, Davis, Hoby was one of 14 individuals named as a Champion of Change by President Barack Obama in 2012 for for creating STEM education and employment opportunities for disabled Americans. Hoby is on the adjunct faculty at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in St. Helena and lives in Petaluma, California.
Art is something that makes us go ‘huh!’ when we don’t expect it. Food and drink is also an art form, embraced as such in Italy. This is an artistic experience; enjoying Prosecco with senses other than sight. — Dr. Hoby Wedler
From the moment we donned our blindfolds, Hoby had us hooked on our newly heightened awareness of senses, working our way through identifying aromas, tastes, textures, even the varied types of bubbles revealed by sipping six different brands of Prosecco.
As each chilled glass was poured, blindfolds still in place, we were keen to absorb Hoby’s insights via his highly-trained palate and acutely developed sensory perception. Our lineup:
- Zardetto, Prosecco DOC Brut
- Mionetto, Prosecco DOC Brut
- La Gioiosa, Prosecco DOC Brut
- Brilla!, Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Rosé 2023
- Avissi, Prosecco DOC Extra Dry
- Fantinel, Prosecco DOC Extra Dry
Vintners are actually artists that know something about organic chemistry, too. — Dr. Hoby Wedler
What is Prosecco?
Like Champagne that hails from a distinctly defined region in France, Italian Prosecco has its own protected destination of origin status. The local Glera grape, a white varietal, is grown mainly in the Veneto of north east Italy in a hilly area north of Treviso between the Dolomites and the Adriatic Sea. Glera may be blended in small quantities of up to 15% with other varietals to adjust the flavor profile, including production of a rosé sparkling wine.
In the glass, Prosecco is a brilliant straw yellow or pale pink wine of floral and fruity aromas with fine, persistent “perlage” (bubbles). Alcohol content is moderate.
Note: Every bottle of Prosecco DOC must have a special label on the neck as a guarantee of quality and authenticity. Prosecco DOC is written on the front label and “Product of Italy” must be written on the back.
Prosecco Means Business
Gaining in popularity, approximately 150 million bottles of Prosecco were produced in 2008. Huge growth followed over the next decade; by 2018 production was nearly 600 million bottles. According to Osservatorio Economico of Prosecco, in 2023 that figure reached 616 million bottles produced by 355 sparkling houses. Worldwide turnover of Prosecco is estimated to have a retail value of 3.5 billion euros. Saluti!