Up until about 2010, the chances of finding a bottle labelled Prosecco in the UK were very low. So low that most people had never heard of the now ubiquitous Italian sparkling wine. By 2015 supermarket shelves heaved with low-cost versions and every event embraced  this cheap fizz that provided the party without the price tag. The love affair with the British public was swift and all-encompassing.

But, as will all things, over exposure to poor quality versions, as well as increasing association with the more frivolous end of the wine market, marked the end of the affair.

We are a nation of wine lovers, wine drinkers and party goers. I love the fact that people who may never have thought of buying a bottle of Champagne, found in Prosecco an  affordable fizz that was refreshingly easy to drink. This, in itself, is a reason to celebrate. 

Is there a Prosecco grape?

Prosecco is made from white grapes that are now known as Glera, which have ancient roots across Italy and Eastern Europe. The grape’s relatively high acidity makes it perfect for sparkling wine. It provides a floral and fruity fragrance, reminiscent of peaches, melons, pears and white flowers.

In Italy, the grape was known as Prosecco for centuries, but as the popularity of the wine took hold worldwide, the situation became complicated. European wine laws dictate that a grape and a designated wine area cannot go by the same name. So when Prosecco took off as a wine name, it would have been commercial suicide to change it. Instead, they officially renamed the grape as Glera, before going on to create a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata - like a French Appellation) called Prosecco. The aim was to protect its status and to prevent other regions and countries from using the name Prosecco for their own sparkling wines. The geographical area holding the DOC lies between between the villages of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, North West of Venice, where most of the most reputed Prosecco wines are made.

To add a little extra layer of confusion, there was a village called Prosecco in Veneto - however there were no vineyards there and they didn't produce the drink! The prime Prosecco DOC region is now known officially as Conegliano-Valdobbiadene.

Can you make Prosecco outside of Italy?

The subject of ongoing battles, particularly with Australia’s King Valley, who argue that Prosecco is the long-established variety name, and therefore doesn’t deserve protection. The dispute rumbles on and trade talks with the European Union have so far proved divisive. In the UK, for now, there seems to be a clear understanding that this is Italian fizz, but it may be worth checking the bottle, next time you are out for some sparkle.

How is Prosecco made?

By law, 85% of the grapes that go into the finished wine must be Glera, but there are other local varieties which may be added according to the season and the winemaker's personal taste. Grapes are pressed (maximum 70 litres of wine per 100 kg of grapes, which is similar to Champagne) and a still base wine is made. This base wine is put into a large, pressurised tank along with yeast, which combines with the grape sugars to create carbon dioxide - and therefore bubbles. This method, often known as the Charmat Method was developed and patented in 1895 by the Italian oenologist Federico Martinotti but was further developed with a new patent by the inventor Eugène Charmat in 1907 and whose name is most frequently used today. It is also known as the Tank Method.

After this second fermentation, the wine is bottled and sealed. The type of yeast, the quality of the grapes and the skill of the winemaker all play an important role in the finished product. Our Nave d’Oro (formally known as Villa Doral*) Prosecco grower Loris Tonon uses his own, naturally made yeast rather than a chemical alternative. More on this below.

Other sparkling wines, including Champagne and Methode Traditionelle, are made in an entirely different way, the bubbles are the result of a second fermentation in the bottle, after a small amount of sugar liquer (dosage) is added. No sugar is added to Prosecco at any point. The sweetness in some styles comes entirely from the grapes.

What’s the difference between Prosecco Frizzante and Prosecco Spumante?

Prosecco is typically frizzante (fizzy) or spumante (fully sparkling). Frizzante wines have lower atmospheric pressure (1–2.5 bars) and often cost less than Prosecco Spumante (5 bars). Not to be confused with Asti Spumante, the sweet, sparkling Italian white wine made from Moscato Bianco grapes, primarily produced in the Piedmont region. Spumante refers only to the bubbles, not to the quality or the sweetness of the wine.

Is pink Prosecco the same as white Prosecco?

The only real difference between the two, is that pink or rosé Prosecco will contain some red grapes – usually Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir in France) and the still wine is left to macerate in the skins for a short while before fermentation, to achieve the desired colour.

Is Prosecco a sweet wine?

Prosecco is graded according to how much of this residual grape sugar is left in the finished wine, and in the same way that Champagne is graded. This varies from Extra Brut - containing under 6g of residual sugar per litre to Dry which can contain between 17 and 32g of residual sugar. UK tastes veer towards the drier styles, whereas in Italy, the sweeter versions tend to be more popular.  By comparison, the most popular Brut Champagnes  contain between 6 and 12g of residual sugar. So an Extra Dry Prosecco is the nearest equivalent to Champagne in terms of sweetness.

How much should you pay for a bottle of Prosecco?

As will all things, with Prosecco you get what you pay for. It still represents excellent value for money, compared to many other sparkling wines – but it’s important to check out the provenance before you buy. It is worth paying a couple of quid more to see the DOC or DOCG quality standard on the label. 

It’s also important to stick with wines that are made according to High Environmental practices and who use natural rather than brutish chemical yeasts. The latter can can entirely change the flavours, the aftertaste and the aftereffects. Don’t blame a bout of acid reflux and a splitting headache on the genre – but do consider that you are unlikely to find a wine that tastes great and feels good for less than about £12 or £13 per bottle at time of writing. Much of the cost of the wine is made up from Customs & Excise duty, VAT, import costs as well as the usual elements that make up a bottle of wine such as the bottle, the label and the cork. Paying less than this means the wine will have been made quickly and cheaply in very large quantities to produce a sparkling wine likely destined solely for export. 

Our Prosecco

We work exclusively with the Tonon family who were among the first to use the Charnat method and have been making exceptionally high-quality Prosecco since 1936 on their family estate in the heart of the DOC. They also produce a Spumante on the edge of the DOC as an extra dry – which provides even better value as the land on which it is grown is essentially the same – the line goes straight through it – so they are unable to label it as Prosecco, although essentially it is made in the same way, by the same people.

*The Legal Battle aka Behind the scenes in the wine trade

The Tonon family had been using the label Villa Doral named after their property for many decades, but after a court battle by another Italian winemaker over the ownership of the name, they lost a lengthy court battle to keep the Villa Doral name, which they had never thought to patent. The details are complicated. 

They chose the new name Nave d’Oro which may not have quite the same ring to it – but it is the same wine in the same bottle, made by the same people. Even the label is the same in all but name. As wine importers, we have no control over labelling – it is always the choice of the winemaker who also sells his or her wines locally and must respond to local markets. We were disappointed by this outcome, but we are never disappointed by the wine.

So has Prosecco lost its sparkle?

You may have skipped to the end, or you may have read the potted history above. Either way, the short answer is, of course, a resounding no. A good bottle of well-made, fresh, dry and fruity Prosecco is a perfect pick me up, on its own, or mixed with a good slug of Aperol.

When we include a bottle of Prosecco in our subscription and mystery boxes, our customers are always delighted. Prosecco says party, with a license to drink.