Photo Credit: Bellissima
To celebrate National Prosecco Week, Haute Wine Society and Wine Access’ Head of Wine, Vanessa Conlin, MW, came together to join supermodel Christie Brinkley for a tasting of her sparkling sensation, Bellissima moderated by Haute Media Group’s Editor-in-Chief, Laura Schreffler. Ageless beauty Brinkley sang, joked and sipped. Hilarity, and happiness, ensued. Check out the results of our tasting.
ABOUT: CHRISTIE BRINKLEY
Photo Credit: ERICA PELOSINI LEEMAN
Since being discovered by a photographer in Paris while still in art school, Christie has appeared on over 500 magazine covers worldwide, served as a spokeswoman for CoverGirl, starred in Broadway musical Chicago as Roxie Hart, and performed in television and in film. She is a partner in SBLA Beauty, wrote the New York Times best-selling book of beauty secrets, Timeless Beauty, and is responsible for the prosecco line Bellissima.
ABOUT: BELLISSIMA
Photo Credit: Bellissima
Bellissima is created the heart of Italy’s Veneto region, is Treviso, a city known as the original producer of Prosecco. With its rolling hills, its ancient cathedrals, and the rivers Botteniga and Sile flowing throughout its walled urban center, it is a place of unmatched natural beauty. Its vineyards here are cultivated organically, in harmony with the region’s natural rhythms. They work with deep respect for the area’s soil, a unique white limestone originating from the river Piave, which lends Bellissima a uniquely complex floral aroma. Bellissima is made with organic grapes, reflecting the rarified beauty of the region from which they came.
THE TASTING: PROSECCOS
DOC BRUT
Brut is the driest (i.e. least sugary) version of Prosecco, and Bellissima’s is aromatic and elegant, with delicate scents of green apple and freshly baked bread. Uncorked at the very last minute, Bellissima Brut is fabulous to sip alongside seafood, particularly shellfish, sushi and sashimi.
PROSECCO ROSE DOC
It is a lively Sparkling Rosé, with a fine and persistent periage. Fresh on the palate with delicate floral notes, and fruity hints of cherry and strawberry. It is made with organic grapes and certified vegan from 90% organic Glera grapes (called Prosecco grapes up until 2009) and 10% organic Pinot Noir Grapes. This is available for pre-order only.
ZERO-SUGAR SPARKLING ROSE
Elegant and fresh hints of strawberry and grapefruit are brought to your palate by the Rosé’s soft and persistent foam. The taste is crisp, fresh and clean. Made from 100% organic Pinot Grigio grapes, this Rosé Sparkling Wine has no residual sugar. Â
THE BEST OF OUR BELLISSIMA/HAUTE WINE SOCIETY/WINE ACCESS TASTING
Photo Credit: Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for Haute Living
Christie Brinkley on drinking during her Broadway days: “[When I was on Broadway in Chicago] I kept my dressing room really well stocked with wines and proseccos. I actually had a shelf around the top and I had glasses. I was always ready to pop a cork with the cast on a night where we would have a day off the next day because we did eight shows a week. ‘Pour for other people and just take a sip’ is usually the way I do it for everybody that came to see me. It was so much fun after the show in my dressing room, but I didn’t really partake. I was more like popping, pouring, but I absolutely loved the experience. It is definitely something that I will raise a glass to for the rest of my life, to Broadway. I can’t wait for everybody to be back on Broadway and to be sitting in the theater again just watching the magic unfold in front of me. I will never get over the fact that I was lucky enough to share the stage with those magicians. These people that just dedicate their life to singing and dancing and acting and putting it all out there with everything they’ve got every night for the audience, and I loved it.”
Vanessa Conlin on decanting tips: “Something I also like to do sometimes is actually decant sparkling wine. A tip if you’re doing this at home is to pour just a little in the decanter first and coat the inside because then, when you pour the rest, it won’t bubble too much outside of the decanter. Sometimes to open it up, if you want to give it a little pop of energy, you can actually decant a prosecco or champagne.”
CB on what’s next: “Now we’re going to make Bellissima popsicles. Isn’t that great? We’re going to have all kinds of wonderful, delicious flavors. That’s coming soon. They’ll be the kind of thing that we can turn it upside down and just drop it into the glass, then have it and drink it. They’re going to be great. I have lots of ideas for that branch that we’re doing, so I’m very excited about that. That should be coming soon, hopefully this summer. We’re working on lots of surprising things that I think people are really going to love, so I’m very excited about our future lineup.”
