August arrives with its usual roller coaster ride of heat and humidity. Which makes my palate further crave the crisp, clean and affordable flavor of Prosecco. The grape is Glera, and most of the sparkling wine called Prosecco comes from the Friuli and Veneto regions of Italy.

Last week I sampled two while discussing upcoming wine and theater events. The first was the crisp, dry, sleek Ornella Molon Prosecco. Aromas and flavors of almond and vanilla in the glass added even more enjoyment to my conversation about the upcoming November wine and food tasting event for the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana. The yearly event is a "Journey of Tastes" and this year it offers the varied and versatile wines of France. I loved sipping a lively Italian wine while anticipating what is one of the most all encompassing and inviting wine and food events of the year in Indianapolis. Find a bottle of Ornella Molon Prosecco for less than $15 at local wine stores. Get your tickets before they sell out to "Taste" at www.rmh-indiana.org

I love the Barefoot wines. They are inexpensive, refreshing and widely available. The Barefoot Bubbly Prosecco is pure pleasure. As is the upcoming WFYI Documentary The Fringe Factor which airs on WFYI TV on Tuesday August 12th at 9pm. It's a hilarious and historic look back at the ten years of the Indy Fringe Festival and theater. AND the documentary is produced by long time Broad Ripple native and Emmy Award winning producer Gary Harrison. Indy Fringe continues to be one of the most successful arts organizations in the city. The documentary is captivating and entertaining. A bottle of Barefoot Bubbly would be the perfect compliment to drink as you watch it next week. More info on The Fringe Factor at www.indyfringe.org

NV Ornella Molon Extra-Dry Prosecco, Veneto, Italy-clean, sleek fizzy fun. Hints of almond and vanilla on the dry finish. Serve it with almonds, olives and prosciutto.

Barefoot Bubbly, Prosecco, Italy-hints of citrus and minerals with just enough teeny tiny bubbles to make each sip pure pleasure. Serve with a variety of cheeses or just sip on its own. Great value!!