The Gallarani Scotti Bonaldi family runs the Azienda Agricola "Abbazia di Busco" in Treviso, which produces a niche Prosecco of the highest quality. We asked Maria Luisa Bonaldi how to recognize a good prosecco.
"That’s a good question! A good prosecco is recognized first of all using the senses: the sight to observe the perlage that must be smooth but constant; the taste to evaluate the degree of acidity - which must never be excessive - and the correct mix of flavors; the smell, to smell the delicate and floral aroma that is often not perceived in industrial products. Many elements, many sensations that help us to understand if prosecco is made in a natural way from vines cultivated with care."
How do you serve it correctly?
"Prosecco should always be served cold - around 6-7 degrees - and this is very important because only at this temperature is perfectly appreciated aroma, taste and crispness. Remember then that it is preferable to use the flûte because the chains of bubbles can extend throughout the height of the glass."
Matches yes, matches no?
Fish and shellfish love prosecco very much, especially if raw or prepared in a simple way. A fish in the oven or a soup of shellfish are ideal dishes to be accompanied by a glass of prosecco. Avoid prosecco with artichokes that, especially in Rome, are always protagonists in the Christmas table. They are delicious but have a very ferrous taste that completely covers the delicate taste of our bubbles.
Busco Abbey: a place, a label, a family...
Busco Abbey was born in the eighteenth century in Treviso and is first of all the history of my family and the places where we have always lived. A job made of effort, passion and a lot of love that gives life to a niche wine production but of great level.
An agricultural action very rooted in the territory.
The Abbey of Busco, where I, my brother and his whole family work, is located in the heart of the Veneto region, among those lands where prosecco has reached its highest productivity and from where it started to conquer the world.
Busco was one of the largest abbeys in the Veneto and the monks who lived there managed a vast territory that covered at least 3/4 of Treviso. Today the original Abbey remains only a part that is fortunately right within our property and that we protect and jealously safeguard precisely because we want it to remain, today and forever, a great point of reference for this territory and for the whole North East Italy.
What is your philosophy as wine producers and entrepreneurs?
We care very much about respect for nature, sustainability and above all diversity. We do not only have vineyards, we also grow corn, beets and we have allocated thirty hectares to a beautiful noceto. All products of the territory that we have maintained precisely because they guarantee respect and biodiversity.
We also decided to limit the industrialization of the production system: where possible, we do things as we used to, working ourselves and that, for us, makes a difference.
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