Story: Prosecco | Frizzante & Spumante (2/2)

Prosecco: the difficult triumph of a sparkling wine
The international success of Prosecco has not only cemented its reputation as an elegant, fine sparkling wine from the eastern Veneto region, but has also put it at risk. Despite its limited production volume, production is often not even sufficient to fully meet Italian domestic demand. In order to meet this excess demand, questionable methods are used time and again: non-resident cask wines are added or wine is bottled outside of the authorized areas of origin - often of dubious quality.

Although “Prosecco” is written on the label, many of these wines come from mass production with high economic but low quality standards. As a result, what was once synonymous with a traditional, artisan sparkling wine has increasingly become an industrially produced consumer product. Few consumers know the actual history and the region of origin in which genuine Prosecco can develop its quality in the first place.

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New brands, old wine?
The seemingly inexhaustible flood of new Prosecco brands being launched on the market creates the impression of a dynamic, innovative scene - but this impression is deceptive. Fashionable presentation, trendy labels and colorful bottles are intended to attract attention, but distract from the essentials: the wine itself. Marketing is increasingly taking the place of real quality. In the process, the fact that Prosecco is steeped in tradition is being forgotten - with centuries-old vineyards, proven production methods and a clear identity.

When shiny metallic or brightly colored bottles dominate the market, the product loses even more of its authenticity. Prosecco has a very serious story to tell - but it often goes unheard in the noise of marketing.

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What makes real Prosecco?
First of all, “Prosecco” is the historical name of a white grape variety that is now called Glera and is native to eastern Veneto. It achieves its best results in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene - the real heart of the Prosecco growing region. This is where a light, fresh sparkling wine is traditionally produced, characterized by fine perlage and moderate carbon dioxide.

Prosecco is no longer a still wine, but it is not yet a classic sparkling wine either. The pressure is below 3 bar - this is the definition of a sparkling wine (frizzante). The carbon dioxide is produced in a second fermentation in the pressure tank, where it remains in the wine. It was only thanks to modern technical possibilities that it was possible to bottle Prosecco at a higher pressure than sparkling wine (spumante) - with a carbon dioxide content of over 3 bar.

However, more pressure also means more acidity in the mouth. Sugar is often added to cushion this sensory impact - the so-called dosage. It ensures that a Prosecco Spumante with a higher carbon dioxide content does not taste too sour. However, this also changes the taste considerably, which can deviate significantly from the original style. - Gerardo [TS06/25]