In recent years, prosecco, the sparkling wine, has steadily been gaining popularity.  Its appeal lies in its generally good quality and its fresh, bright taste.  Prosecco, rare for an Italian wine, is named for the grape it is made from.  (Today the grape is known as glera.)  Most prosecco is produced in the hills – rive – of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, near Treviso.  It usually does not have a vintage and is drunk young.  In 2009 a new area for prosecco production was established in Friuli; there large vineyards using mechanical harvesting produce a more generic wine.  As a result, winemakers in the original prosecco areas have been trying to distinguish their wines – now called prosecco superiore and designated DOCG, the highest level in Italian wine.  Prosecco from these hillsides is today often made from one vintage and sometimes comes from a single vineyard.  Producers are also experimenting with different fermentation techniques, both modern and ancient.  It all means that prosecco lovers have a wide variety to choose from and some noteworthy wines to taste.