Have you ever had a sip of Prosecco, the world’s best-selling sparkling wine? (638 million bottles sold worldwide in 2022; Champagne 326 million bottles.)
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Origin: Veneto, Northeastern Italy
There are 20 regions in Italy. You may not be familiar with the Veneto region, but its capital Venice must be no stranger to you.
Prosecco hails from a large plain and hilly area north of Venice. The total area exceeds 300 square kilometers. The albumen area below is a plain (Prosecco DOC), with low altitudes, smaller temperature difference between day and night, lower grape acidity, wine flavour relatively monotonous. The yolk area (Asolo DOCG, Valdobbiadene DOCG) is hilly with a larger temperature difference between day and night, ideal for grape acidity retention and for making flavourful wines.
Grape variety: Glera
Before 2009, the Glera grapes had been called Prosecco. As long as the wine was made from the Prosecco grapes, even if it wasn’t produced in the Prosecco production area, the word Prosecco could be put on the label, which could mislead consumers. The name change in 2009 was to protect Prosecco’s legal status. The new grape name Glera is actually how Prosecco is called in the dialect of Friuli, the region adjecent to Veneto.
The intensity of Glera’s floral and fruity aromas depends greatly on the yield. Too high a yield would dilute the aroma and the wine. As you may have guessed, the yield in the albumen area is higher than that in the yolk area.
Although regulations permit the use of 15% other wine grapes, most Prosecco are made from 100% Glera grapes.
Winemaking method: Charmat or Pét-nat
Charmat method: grapes harvested, juice pressed and fermented skin-off to make base wine. Base wine is then moved into a pressurised tank(as in the picture below). Add in sugar and yeast. Seal the tank. Let the second fermentation begin. The carbon dioxide produced is trapped in the tank, forming bubbles. In order to retain the pure floral and fruity flavour, the lees is usually removed immediately after the fermentation is done. But now more and more Prosecco stay on lees for a period of time for a richer flavour profile.
Prosecco made using the Charmat method accounts for the majority. (The Charmat method is also called the Martinotti method, because the person who first invented this method was actually the Italian winemaker Federico Martinotti. Later, the French winemaker Eugène Charmat further improved it and applied for a patent in 1910, so the Charmat method is now better known.)
Pét-nat method (one fermentation only): the fermenting grape juice is bottled and sealed. The carbon dioxide trapped creates bubbles. No lees removal is done when the fermentation is over, making Pét-nat sparklers always a little cloudy.
For a long time, Prosecco made the Pét-nat way had been called Col Fondo (meaning “containing sediments at the bottom” in Italian). However, since 2020, all DOCG-level Prosecco made this way can no longer be called so. “Sui lieviti” (meaning “on lees” in Italian) is the new term to be used.
Whether made with the Charmat or the Pét-nat method, Prosecco has little aging potential. Enjoy it as early as possible.
Sweetness|Drinking temperature|Meal pairing|Mixology
There are four levels of sweetness in Prosecco:
- Brut: less than 12 grams of sugar per litre
- Extra Dry: 12-17 grams per litre
- Dry: 17-32 grams per litre
- Demi-sec: 32-50 grams per liter
The sweetness level is shown on the wine label. Usually, from Extra Dry on, sweetness can be sensed on the palate.
Serving temperature: 6-8 degrees Celsius
Food pairing: appetizers, vegetable or seafood dishes
Mixology: Spritz, a cocktail that is loved by young people all over the world, is made from Prosecco, Aperol (or Campari) and sparkling water in a ratio of 3, 2, 1. Add an orange slice and some ice before serving.
