2021 FIOL Prosecco DOC Rosé Extra Dry: Standing Out in a Crowd

“Fiol” is a term of endearment for a young man from the 15th century Venetian Republic language. However, in the modern day, the term is more commonly used to denote a natural leader, or a friend who stands out in a crowd. Thus, this new Prosecco is intended to stand out amidst the many other Proseccos in the market. 

I've never been a big fan of Prosecco, as I've found too many to be overly sweet for my palate and too simple in their taste. However, I continue to taste them, seeking the stand outs which I know exist. 

The FIOL (FEE-yol) brand was founded by two childhood friends, Gian Luca Passi and Giovanni Ciani Bassetti, whose families have lived and farmed in Treviso, in the Veneto, for generations. When they were young, both men worked in harvests, drinking watered-down Prosecco at dinner. As adults, there careers took then different places, but they eventually came back together, founding FIOL in 2011. In 2019, they hired renowned enologist Marzio Pol to supervise production. With his connections, FIOL was also able to gain access to some of the best farmers in the region. 

Their objective is to create distinctive Prosecco, in an authentic style, to stand out among the too prevalent Proseccos which are homogeneous in style and taste. This sounded intriguing to me, so I was willing to give it a try and assess it for myself.

I recently received a media sample of the 2021 FIOL Prosecco DOC Rosé Extra Dry ($22), which has just become available in the U.S. A Prosecco DOC Rosé must be a blend of Glera and Pinot Nero (10-15%) and undergo a minimum 60-day secondary fermentation in tank (double the time for a “classic” Prosecco. It must also be vintage-dated. As a big fan of Sparkling Rosé, I was more excited to sample this wine. 

And it ended up being a stand-out to me. This FIOL Prosecco DOC Rosé was a blend of 85% Glera and 15% Pinot Nero, with an alcohol content of 11% and residual sugar of 13 g/L. The Charmat method was used to produce this sparkling wine. The wine possessed a fine pink color and a pleasant aroma of red fruits with citrus notes. On the palate, it was dry and crisp, with plenty of tiny bubbles and prominent flavors of strawberry and raspberry, with more subtle notes of apple, lemon and peach. It also possessed a fairly long, clean and pleasing finish. It was a well balanced and delicious sparkling wine, definitely different from many other Proseccos I've previously tasted. 

I drank the wine with dinner, including tomatoes & burrata, as well as shrimp scampi, and it went very well with it all. I was pleased that this Prosecco was dry and possessed a more complex taste. It would be great on its own, but pairs well with food too. A great choice for people seeking a Prosecco which differs from the rest of the crowd.