Ruggeri Giustino Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene

Ruggeri Giustino Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene is a 750ml DOCG sparkling wine from the hills of Valdobbiadene, Italy, bottled at 11.5% ABV. This flagship cuvée from the Ruggeri house has earned the prestigious Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri award an extraordinary twelve times, placing it among the most decorated Prosecco Superiore bottlings in production today.

Quick Facts: ABV: 11.5%  |  Origin: Valdobbiadene-Conegliano DOCG, Veneto, Italy  |  Brut  |  Producer: Ruggeri & C. Srl

Production & Heritage

Ruggeri & C. Srl operates from Via Pra' Fontana in the heart of Valdobbiadene, one of the two anchor towns of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG zone. The Giustino B. bottling — named in honor of founder Giustino Bisol — is made from 100% Glera grapes sourced from hillside vineyards in this steep, historically significant terroir. After primary fermentation, the wine undergoes a slow secondary fermentation in large pressurized tanks held at a cool 14–15°C, followed by extended aging on the lees for approximately five months. This prolonged lees contact, considerably longer than the DOCG minimum, builds textural richness and aromatic complexity that distinguish the Giustino B. from standard Prosecco bottlings.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with heady honeysuckle and hawthorn blossom before giving way to ripe pear, yellow peach, and apricot. Underneath the fruit sits a thread of delicate acacia honey and a crisp green-apple lift that keeps things vibrant.

Taste: The entry is broad and gently sparkling, with a silky mousse that carries flavors of green apple, white peach, and candied lemon across the mid-palate. A subtle spicy note emerges alongside pink grapefruit and acacia flower, framed by crisp acidity that balances a noticeable but restrained sweetness. The overall impression is harmonious and richly fruity without heaviness.

Finish: The finish is persistent for a Prosecco, closing on a clean white-almond note with lingering hints of yellow apple and citrus pith. Vibrant acidity carries through to the end, leaving the palate fresh and lifted.

How to Drink Giustino B.

Serve well chilled at 6–8°C in a tulip glass to concentrate the aromatics; this is a Prosecco that rewards attentive sipping on its own. Its textural weight and fruit depth also make it a serious cocktail base. Try it in a Bellini, where the peach and apricot notes dovetail naturally with white peach purée. It brings welcome complexity to a Spritz, its richer body standing up to Aperol or Select without losing definition. In a French 75 variation, the Giustino B.'s acidity and floral character substitute elegantly for Champagne at a fraction of the cost.

Best For

• Hosting a celebratory dinner where you want sparkling wine with real depth
• Gifting an Italian-wine enthusiast who already knows entry-level Prosecco
• Pairing at a spring or summer seafood spread
• Introducing someone to the quality ceiling of Prosecco Superiore DOCG

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Giustino B. taste like? It leads with ripe pear, yellow peach, and green apple layered over subtle honeysuckle and acacia blossom, finishing on a clean white-almond note. The mousse is silky rather than aggressive, and crisp acidity keeps the fruit-forward profile balanced.

How does Giustino B. compare to entry-level Champagne? Critics have noted that this Prosecco rivals many Champagnes priced well above it, offering comparable textural richness from extended lees aging while delivering a fruitier, more immediately expressive aromatic profile. Where non-vintage Champagne tends toward brioche and toast from bottle aging on lees under crown cap, the Giustino B. emphasizes fresh orchard fruit and floral aromatics characteristic of the Charmat method.

Is Giustino B. good for sipping neat? Absolutely — extended lees contact gives it enough weight and complexity to hold attention on its own, particularly when served in a tulip glass at 6–8°C to showcase its layered aromatics.

Where is Giustino B. made? It is produced by Ruggeri & C. Srl in Valdobbiadene, a town at the western end of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. The DOCG's steep hillside vineyards were recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

What foods pair well with Giustino B.? Raw shellfish such as oysters or crudo, where the wine's acidity cleanses the palate; prosciutto di San Daniele, whose sweetness mirrors the peach notes; light risotto with spring vegetables; soft cheeses like burrata or fresh mozzarella; and stone-fruit desserts like apricot tart, which echo the wine's core fruit character.

What sizes does Giustino B. come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Giustino B. worth the price? Positioned at the premium end of the Prosecco Superiore DOCG category, the Giustino B. justifies its price through extended lees aging, consistently high critical scores — including 92 points from Wine Advocate and a 93/100 from Wine-Searcher's aggregated critics — and a dozen Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards that place it in elite company.

Why Giustino B.?

Twelve Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri awards are not handed out casually; that track record alone marks the Giustino B. as one of the benchmark wines of the entire Prosecco Superiore denomination. The extended five-month lees aging — well beyond what most producers attempt with the Charmat method — delivers a mousse and mid-palate weight that blur the line between tank-method sparkling wine and traditional-method bottlings. A 92-point rating from Wine Advocate and a 93/100 aggregated critics score reinforce its standing as a serious sparkling wine that happens to carry a Prosecco label. For anyone who has written off Prosecco as simple aperitivo fizz, this bottling is the clearest argument otherwise.