Prosecco

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is Italy's most popular and best-selling sparkling wine. It is made predominantly from the white Glera grape and comes from north-eastern Italy – above all from the regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. Its heartland is the hilly landscape between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, whose steep slopes today produce the prestigious sparkling wine of the Veneto.

Unlike Champagne, Cava, or Crémant, Prosecco is not made by the labour-intensive bottle fermentation but by the faster and more economical tank method. This is precisely what makes it so fresh, fruity, and uncomplicated – and the epitome of the carefree Italian aperitivo.

Origin & Production Areas

Prosecco is a protected designation of origin with a clear hierarchy:

• Prosecco DOC: The large base zone stretching across nine provinces in Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. This is where most of the fresh, fruit-driven everyday Proseccos are made.
• Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG: The hilly heartland with the best sites. The steep slopes require labour-intensive hand work and yield finer, more complex wines. Within this zone lies the small, especially steep top vineyard of Cartizze – the most famous cru of Prosecco.
• Asolo Prosecco DOCG: A smaller, likewise high-quality DOCG zone in the hills around the town of Asolo.

The term "Superiore" and the abbreviation DOCG therefore signal higher quality and a tighter origin than the broader DOC.

Production & Method

Prosecco is made by the Charmat method, also known in Italy as the Martinotti method after its inventor. The decisive difference from bottle fermentation: the second fermentation takes place not in the bottle but in large, pressure-resistant stainless-steel tanks (autoclaves). More detail is provided in the entry on the Charmat method.

The process in brief:

1. Base wine: First, a still base wine is fermented from the Glera grape.
2. Tank fermentation: The base wine is placed in a sealed pressure tank with added yeast and sugar (liqueur de tirage).
3. Second fermentation: Under pressure, the carbonation is produced in the tank – the characteristic mousse of Prosecco forms here.
4. Filtration: The wine is separated from the yeast under pressure and filtered.
5. Bottling: The finished sparkling wine is then bottled under counter-pressure.

Because the wine spends only a short time in the tank and undergoes no long lees ageing, the primary fruit and blossom aromas of the Glera grape are preserved. That is exactly the aim: Prosecco should taste fresh and aromatic, not bready and complex like a wine made by bottle fermentation.

Flavour Profile

Prosecco is light, fresh, and decidedly aromatic. Typical notes are:

• Fruit: green apple, pear, white peach, citrus
• Blossom: white floral notes, acacia, honeysuckle
• Character: light, lively, low alcohol (usually 11 to 11.5 % vol.)

In contrast to Champagne, the yeasty, nutty, or toasty tones are almost entirely absent. Prosecco lives off its immediate, fruity freshness, which is what makes it so approachable.

Styles by Carbonation

Prosecco comes in three pressure levels that differ markedly in their fizz:

• Spumante: fully sparkling, with a fine, persistent mousse – the classic, festive Prosecco.
• Frizzante: lightly sparkling, semi-sparkling, with a softer, gentler bead.
• Tranquillo: a still, non-sparkling wine – today a genuine rarity.

The vast majority of Prosecco available in shops is Spumante or Frizzante.

Sweetness Levels

When it comes to sweetness levels, Prosecco has a peculiarity that often causes confusion. The terms correspond to the internationally common sparkling-wine designations, yet of all things "Dry" on a Prosecco is not dry but one of the sweeter styles:

The traditional and still most common style is Extra Dry, with a discreet residual sweetness. Those who prefer it genuinely dry should reach for Brut.

Prosecco vs. Champagne

Both are sparkling wines, yet they could hardly be more different:

Prosecco:

• tank method (Charmat/Martinotti)
• Glera grape from north-eastern Italy
• fresh, fruity, floral, light
• to be drunk young, affordable in price

Champagne:

• bottle fermentation with long lees ageing
• Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
• bready, autolytic brioche and toast notes
• age-worthy, higher price due to prestige

The difference therefore lies not only in the origin but above all in the method and the resulting aroma profile. Those seeking the fruity, carefree style are right with Prosecco; those who want complexity and ageing notes, with Champagne.

Serving Temperature & Glassware

Serving temperature: 6–8 °C Prosecco belongs in the glass well chilled. Too cold (below 5 °C), the fine fruit and blossom aromas are suppressed; too warm (above 10 °C), the wine tastes flat and loses its refreshing zest.

Glassware: A tulip-shaped sparkling wine glass is ideal, as it concentrates the aromas and preserves the mousse. Narrow flutes emphasise mainly the bubbles, while wide coupes allow the carbonation to escape too quickly.

Enjoyment & Food Pairing

Prosecco is the quintessential Italian aperitivo and the base of two classics:

• Aperol Spritz: Prosecco, Aperol, and soda – the summer drink par excellence.
• Bellini: Prosecco with peach purée, invented at the legendary Harry's Bar in Venice.

On its own, Prosecco unfolds its charm with:

• Antipasti: prosciutto, bruschetta, olives, fried bites
• Light seafood: clams, prawns, sushi, grilled fish
• Fruit & dessert: a sweeter Dry or Demi-Sec suits fruit tarts and fresh fruit

Thanks to its lively acidity and fine mousse, Prosecco is a wonderfully uncomplicated companion – best drunk young, while its fruity freshness is at its peak.