In between still and spumante wine styles, frizzante was commonly found in osterie and traditional trattorie across various Italian regions. In Campania, the effervescence helped mellow the intense acidity of Asprinio; in the Oltrè Po, it balanced the strong tannins of the Croatina grape; in Emilia, it served as the perfect complement to the region’s rich culinary offerings.
Frizzanti was traditionally produced by bottling early with some residual sugar and letting the fermentation continue in the bottle. Though semi-industrial vat re-fermentation once threatened to replace artisanal frizzante, it is now experiencing a vigorous revival, with ‘Pet-nat’ becoming popular.
An Italian online retailer now features over 200 ‘hand-made’ frizzanti, including ones from regions traditionally not known for sparkling wines, like Sicily, Puglia, and Sardinia.