Part 1 of 3 in the 900wine Prosecco Series
Let me start with a confession that might surprise you: I’m not a Prosecco enthusiast. In fact, I often find budget Italian bubbles disappointing—thin, overly sweet, lacking any real character. So when the 900wine Gran Cuvée Blanc de Blancs arrived at my door from Erwin at De Bigondier, I wondered if this €16.99 bottle could break the pattern.
Spoiler: it isn’t very easy.
The Wine: Breaking Prosecco Rules
What immediately caught my attention about this Gran Cuvée is its unconventional blend. While traditional Prosecco relies almost entirely on Glera grapes, 900wine went rogue here: 60% Glera, 40% Chardonnay. It’s a curious choice that signals ambition—Chardonnay typically adds structure and complexity to sparkling wines. The question is whether it works at this price point.
The wine comes from Treviso in the Veneto region, where 900wine operates at the foot of the Dolomites. They position themselves as bridging tradition and innovation, with hand-harvested grapes and careful production oversight. That sounds promising, but does the liquid in the bottle live up to those claims?
Tasting Notes: The Honest Assessment
Visual: Pale yellow with greenish reflections and fine, steady bubbles. Visually, it looks the part.
Nose: Here’s where my first concerns emerged. The nose presents immediately sweet notes—think bruised apple, the kind that’s been sitting in your fruit bowl too long. There’s definitely fruit there—apple, pear, hints of citrus—but it’s accompanied by a slightly chemical edge and a candied quality that made me hesitate before the first sip.
Palate: On tasting, the wine delivers precisely what the price suggests: straightforward, fruity, fresh. You get apple, some floral notes, and a touch of citrus. But here’s my main critique: it lacks tension. The acidity is low, creating a somewhat flat, one-dimensional experience. There’s minimal complexity, no real evolution from start to finish. The mousse (the bubbles’ texture) is okay, but nothing special.
Finish: Short and simple. It doesn’t linger or develop.
Is it terrible? Absolutely not. Is it exciting? Also no. It’s honest wine at an honest price—drinkable, inoffensive, functional. Think of it as the reliable sedan of Prosecco: it gets you where you need to go without any thrills along the way.
Food Pairing Suggestions
Given its straightforward profile and lower acidity, this Gran Cuvée works best in supporting roles rather than as a solo star:
Best Matches:
- Aperitivo hour: Mix it into an Aperol Spritz, where other ingredients add complexity
- Light appetizers: Bruschetta with tomato and basil, where the food’s acidity compensates
- Mild cheeses: Fresh mozzarella or young Gouda that won’t overpower the wine
- Casual brunches: Fruit salad, light pastries, eggs Benedict
Serving Temperature: 6-8°C (43-46°F). Serve it well-chilled to emphasize freshness and mask some of the sweeter notes.
Avoid pairing with: Rich seafood, fatty fish, or dishes with complex sauces—the wine doesn’t have the structure to stand up to them.
Value Assessment: The €17 Question
Here’s where we need to be realistic. At €16.99, this isn’t competing with Champagne or premium Italian Franciacorta. It’s playing in the everyday sparkler category, and in that context, it performs adequately.
The Competition:
- Similar-priced Proseccos from Zonin, Mionetto, or La Marca
- Spanish Cava (which often offers better value at this price)
- Entry-level Crémant de Loire from France
Honestly? The Chardonnay addition doesn’t elevate this wine enough to justify choosing it over competitors. A good Spanish Cava in the same price range often delivers more complexity and better structure. However, if you’re specifically seeking Italian sparklers and want something slightly different from standard Prosecco, the Glera-Chardonnay blend offers a point of difference.
Who Should Buy This:
- Casual entertainers needing affordable bubbles for large gatherings
- Spritz enthusiasts who want a base for cocktails
- Budget-conscious consumers wanting Italian sparklers
- Anyone making mimosas (where orange juice does the heavy lifting)
Who Should Skip This:
- Serious Prosecco lovers seeking complexity
- Those comparing side-by-side with premium sparklers
- Wine enthusiasts expecting a notable Chardonnay influence
The Production Story
900wine emphasizes its position at the crossroads of tradition and modernity. The winery sources grapes from Treviso province, where the mild climate, influenced by the nearby sea and the pre-Alps, creates ideal growing conditions. Average temperatures around 12.3°C and constant breezes help grapes dry quickly after rain, preventing disease and concentrating flavors.
The Gran Cuvée undergoes tank fermentation using the Charmat method, which is standard for Prosecco. This method preserves the fresh, fruity character of the grapes rather than developing the complex, yeasty notes you’d find in traditional method sparklers like Champagne.
While the marketing emphasizes hand-harvesting and quality control, at this price point, you’re still getting entry-level production values. And honestly? That’s perfectly fine—as long as expectations match reality.
My Final Verdict
The 900wine Gran Cuvée Blanc de Blancs is precisely what it claims to be: an accessible, affordable Italian sparkler that won’t embarrass you at casual gatherings. It’s not going to change your life or challenge your perceptions of what Prosecco can be, but it doesn’t pretend to.
My main criticisms—the low acidity, lack of complexity, and slightly chemical nose—are pretty typical at this price point. The Chardonnay addition is interesting but doesn’t dramatically transform the wine. It remains firmly in “pleasant but forgettable” territory.
Rating: 3/5
- Quality-to-Price Ratio: 3.5/5 (delivers what you’d expect)
- Complexity: 2/5 (straightforward)
- Food Pairing Versatility: 3/5 (works in specific contexts)
My Recommendation: If you’re shopping for bubbles under €20 and need quantity over artistry, this is a solid choice. But if you’re willing to spend just €8-10 more, the quality jump is dramatic, which brings us to the next wine in this series, the 900wine DOC Rosé Millesimato, where things get genuinely intriguing.
Where to Buy & Series Information
Thanks to Erwin Dragt at De Bigondier for sending this bottle for review. You can find the 900wine Gran Cuvée Blanc de Blancs at De Bigondier for €16.99.
This review is based on a sample provided by De Bigondier. As always, my opinions remain honest and independent—including the criticisms.
Wine Details:
- Producer: 900wine
- Region: Treviso, Veneto, Italy
- Grapes: 60% Glera, 40% Chardonnay
- Classification: Spumante
- Alcohol: 11% ABV
- Price: €16.99
- Where to Buy: De Bigondier
