Prosecco

Where it started

Sparkling Prosecco appears by the mid-19th century, and the Conegliano wine school, founded in 1876 as Italy's first, helped develop tank refermentation, the Martinotti method.¹² Conegliano Valdobbiadene won DOC status on 2 April 1969.² On 17 July 2009 the Prosecco system was reorganised: the hill zones became DOCG and the wider Prosecco DOC was created.¹

Where and how it's made

The vines grow only in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia.³ Glera is the main grape.⁴ After pressing and a first fermentation at about 18°C, the base wine referments in autoclaves for at least 30 days, or 60 days for Rosé.⁵ Rosé blends 10 to 15 percent Pinot Noir into Glera.⁵ Real Prosecco DOC is sold only in glass bottles, never on tap or in cans.³

The DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore covers 15 communes in the hills.⁶ Its top sub-zone, Cartizze, is just 107 hectares.⁶

How to taste it

Serve well chilled in a white wine glass. Smell for green apple, pear and acacia; the finish should be clean, not bready. Pairings: prosciutto, fried calamari, a spritz.

Styles and what the label means

• Spumante — fully sparkling, the common style.⁴
• Frizzante — lightly sparkling; Tranquillo — still.⁴
• Brut — under 12 g/L sugar; Extra Dry — 12 to 17 g/L; Dry — 17 to 32 g/L.⁴
• Superiore DOCG — the Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills.⁷
• Rive — a single steep hillside commune within the DOCG.⁶
• Sui Lieviti — refermented in bottle and left on its lees, slightly cloudy.⁶