New Savvy Lush mantra: When in doubt, drink bubbles.

In keeping with my recent Italian theme, let’s talk Prosecco. Prosecco, the sparkling white wine that hails from my motherland, Italy. I love it’s versatility. Drink it when you want to celebrate, drink it on a Summer afternoon, drink it on a cold Winter’s night and drink it when you don’t know what else to drink. Need to bring a hostess gift? Bring Prosecco. Want to freshen up the palate? Drink Prosecco. Out with your Boss and want to impress? Order a glass of Prosecco.

Bottom line: when in doubt, drink bubbles.

To round out my Costco “mini-series”, I proudly bring you Mionetto’s “Valdobbiadene” Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. Wowza, that’s a mouthful! [That’s what she said?] Who cares how to pronounce it, you just gotta drink it. But if you don’t want to sound like a total buffoon, it’s .

Prosecco hails from the North Eastern Region of Italy, known as Friuli-Venezia Giulia. (free-OO-lee vehn-ETZ-yah Julia.)The region that borders Austria and Slovenia is where these grapes thrive. Prosecco is named from the village Prosecco near this region’s capital, Trieste. (tree-ESS-teh) You know famed chef, Lidia Bastianich? You guessed it, from Trieste. Enough about the geography lesson, wanna learn up go here: http://www.mionettousa.com/whyprosecco.php/Mionetto

Let’s get down to the what, where, why and how.

What: This particular prosecco, Valdobbiadene Superiore D.O.C.G., is some special hooch. It’s at the top of the food chain when it comes to Proseccos.

Where: Single vineyard grapes picked from a very small area known as the “Prosecco grape zone” between the towns of Conegliano & Valdobbiadene. That special area where only Prosecco D.O.C.G. can be labeled.

Why: This stuff is delicious! We’re talking 100% Prosecco; no half-assed mish-mash. This is a fresh and clean sparkler with green apple and light citrus aromas. Now for my douchey moment: I detect jasmine flower. Not all-up-in-your-face, Avon soap jasmine reek, but rather jasmine from afar. Not to sound like an ass, but I say this because I’ve experienced subtle wafts of jasmine first hand in Italy. The flavor is green apple, light citrus and stone fruit. It has a more rounded mouthfeel for a sparkler, too. If you or someone you know digs on Moscato, stretch the palate with this guy. Plus, you won’t get a headache drinking it. Need more reason? Clearly you’re a jerk.

How: Prosecco grapes are pressed into juice and fermented into still (not bubbly) wine. That wine then nestles into stainless steel tanks where it bathes in yeast for a couple months, creating a natural second fermentation. The longer it sits during this process, the more expensive the wine. This wine spends about 2 months in pressurized tanks before being bottled. That’s a relatively short amount of time, which is reflected in the price. Whereas most of your super-duper fancy pants Champagnes [read: pricey] sit for years and command a pretty penny, this beauty may be my first case investment in some time.

At Costco you can spring for Mionetto’s “Target” brand for $9 and change. BUT, for a measly two dollars more, you can upgrade to the Superiore. Two dollars! I’m not trying to clear you out of house and home, here, but, c’mon! You’ve already “saved” money on that giant aquatic toy, the 7,500 ct. generic Advil (a Savvy favorite) and 137 oz. vat of spinach and artichoke dip. Don’t get cheap now.

In fact, buy two- one for you and one for that future occasion when you can’t quite figure out what to drink. Now, you’ll never be in doubt.