So I opened this bottle of wine on the weekend to share with friends that I hadn’t seen in a while. I was in the middle of telling them how it is one of my favourite proseccos, and then I realised that I’ve never posted about it! Can you believe it? I think it’s because it is such a go-to for me that I don’t think to review it, I just enjoy it! But it’s hardly fair on any of you if I don’t pop up a review of the Ciao Bella Prosecco, as you may never think to experience how good it is yourself.

There are some sparkling wines that are just right for that awkward in-between spot of celebrating and not celebrating. Sometimes you want a nice sparkling wine to just enjoy without a special occasion. I have many of these moments because I am a bubbles fan, and as much as I wish my budget allowed for Champagne all the time, it does not. So for those times, I’ve found some great wines like this one that I can drink when I just feel like bubbles. They are cost-effective, delicious, and you don’t feel guilty about cracking them open for any occasion. This one is also good enough that even if it is a celebration it’s still on the table!

My go-to prosecco

The Ciao Bella Prosecco is my absolute go-to when it comes to proseccos, and usually what I gravitate towards when looking for sparkling wine. Although I am a prosecco lover, I’ve found heaps of people who don’t normally like prosecco because of its dryness seem to enjoy this one. It is ridiculously refreshing in its flavours and doesn’t have the big hit of dryness that prosecco is known for. I think this makes it a really approachable wine, and really easy drinking too!

The Ciao Bella Prosecco is a DOC wine which means you are getting some of the best in the region (read more about DOC and DOCG classifications here). Best of all, you’re getting it for under $20 a bottle. So you can pretend you’re on a beach somewhere or under the Tuscan sun in Italy for even less! Although I have seen it for more than $20 depending on the bottle store, even for $25 I will still purchase this wine because it is tried and true. I often make sure I have a bottle on hand in case I need to pop some out for guests, or just for myself if I’m in the mood for some bubbles.

Why I love it

What I love most about this prosecco is how refreshing it is. As I mentioned earlier, it doesn’t have the hit of dryness that prosecco is known for. Instead, it has this really clean finish that leaves you going back for more. This makes it perfect for summer drinking for any occasion.

The flavours are quite fruity on the nose and when you sip. Think especially stone fruit flavours that are zesty and tart. I think this really adds to the enjoyment of the wine and how refreshing it is. That acidity from the zest really rounds out and balances the sweetness so you’re left with a really refreshing taste and a cleansed palate.

The reason I love this wine though boils down to the fact you can get a really delicious and refreshing prosecco for under $20. It’s authentic, it’s not too dry and it’s cost-effective. This is why it is my go-to sparkling wine, and probably why it’s so popular in my household! That and the label with the polka dots on the top is pretty damn cute. You don’t get cute labels that often on Italian prosecco, so when you do, you have to take advantage of it!

What to enjoy it with

You really don’t need anything to enjoy this wine. It’s absolutely delicious on its own, and because of the clean finish, you don’t need to pair it with food. However, if you’re like me and cheese is also your life, this sparkling goes perfectly with a cheese platter. You could also share the cheese platter and prosecco with your friends if they are the good ones!

The final word

I don’t know what else to say about the Ciao Bella Prosecco other than I feel it is the perfect drinking sparkling. You don’t always need something super fancy or expensive to enjoy. I mean, we would all love to be able to afford that, but let’s face it, often we have champagne taste on a sparkling wine budget. So to avoid the guilt of opening that really special bottle for no good reason, you need wines that are still delicious but really affordable.

Sure, this prosecco may not win wine awards or get 100 points from James Halliday. But it gets my vote, and it’s the one prosecco I consistently keep in my fridge. That is, until it gets drunk, which is a pretty regular occurrence!