Martini

Martini has been producing in Italy since 1863. The sparkling range covers three quite different wines, and the differences matter more than the shared label suggests.

Sweet, Lightly Dry, or Dry

All three are Italian sparkling wine at the same price and size. They are not interchangeable.

• Asti Spumante — sweet. 100% Moscato Bianco from Piedmont, made under DOCG rules, Italy's strictest classification. At 7.5% ABV it is roughly half the strength of a still wine, which is why it suits long celebrations. Peach, pear and orange blossom.
• Rosé — lightly dry, at 9.5%. Wild strawberry and raspberry with soft citrus. Sits between the other two in both sweetness and strength.
• Prosecco DOC — dry, at 11.5%. 100% Glera from Veneto. Green apple, pear and white peach. The correct base for a spritz or a Bellini.

Which One Should You Buy?

• For a toast where you do not know the room: Prosecco. Asti will strike half of them as too sweet.
• For dessert or a sweet-toothed crowd: Asti.
• For an aperitivo or an afternoon: Rosé, over ice with a slice of orange.
• For an Aperol Spritz: Prosecco — three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, a splash of soda, plenty of ice.

How to Serve It

Very cold, 6 to 8°C — at least three hours in the ref, or twenty minutes in a bucket of ice and water, which chills far faster than ice alone. Open carefully, turning the bottle rather than the cork, and pour in two stages so the foam settles.

For adults of legal drinking age only. Please enjoy responsibly.