Our revels now have sort of ended, meaning that Christmas and New Year’s are over, but the Yuletide season continues until January 6th, the day of Epiphany — and boy, I could use one of those this year! — hence this “12 Days of Christmas” countdown with Champagne and sparkling wines, Twelfth Night being Epiphany Eve, if you will.

So, let’s tamp things down a bit and relax with a glass of Prosecco, the sparkling wine from northeastern Italy, mainly from the Veneto but produced in other close-by regions too. Prosecco is made in tank, that is not in the traditional champagne method, and is always non-vintage. At its worst, Prosecco, named for the grape from which it is made, is bland fizzy plonk that features a few wobbly bubbles of unseemly size; at its best, while still basically a simple quaff, it displays keen acid, bright citrus flavors and a fine mineral edge.

Such an example is the Dom Bertiol Proseccco Veneto, a superior rendition of the genre that offers a pale straw-gold color and a persistent cloud of tiny bubbles. Aromas of almond blossom and apple lead to a sparkling wine that’s clean and fresh and nicely defined. Citrus flavors are highlighted by snappy acid and a characteristic nutty-metallic blade as limestone takes over from mid-palate back through the finish. This is as close as Prosecco gets to elegance. Very Good. About $16 but often discounted to $14 or less.

Opici Import Co., Glen Rock, N.J.