by Michael Palij MW
If anyone is stunned by Prosecco’s seemingly unstoppable rise in popularity, no one is more bewildered than the producers themselves.
As little as 20 years ago, an air of desperation hung over their vineyards. Production costs were high (mainly labour), yet prices remained stubbornly low with the vast majority destined to ride shotgun with cheap peach purée in a slew of Venice tourist traps. My, how times have changed.
Today, almost half a billion bottles of the stuff find their way around the world. It’s a truly staggering figure and, as sales boomed, it is fair to say that standards slipped. In order to meet overwhelming demand, legislative changes in 2009 upgraded a vast swathe of vineyards from IGT to DOC and simultaneously re-christened the grape as ‘Glera’ in an attempt to eliminate production of copy-cat versions. Right on trend, rosé Prosecco was officially granted DOC status in 2020.
At its best, rosé Prosecco is a delight. Glera’s aromas of apple and pear match well with the strawberry and rhubarb of Pinot. Most versions are usefully drier (the maximum residual sugar is 17 g/L) and on a hot summer’s day it slips down a treat. Regulations, however, remain as relaxed as an Italian suit. 10-15% of the final wine must comprise Pinot Noir grown in the same regions of production. It must be 2019 vintage or younger. The red and white components can be blended in the cellar, and the wine must be aged on its lees for 60 days before release. So far, so innocuous – but two big questions remain.
The first is the sheer scale of the DOC. Prosecco can be made from grapes grown anywhere in both the Veneto (except Verona) and Friuli, a combined vineyard area of nearly 200,000 acres. It is unimaginable that the soil and climate could be remotely consistent across a region so vast. The second concern is yields – current legislation permits 135 hl/ha. Compare this with Grand Cru Burgundy at just 35 hl/ha. Inevitably quality will suffer when the vine is allowed to crop at such excessive levels.
For lovers of quality sparkling wines, however, help is at hand. The original DOC in 1969 limited production to 15 communes in the townships of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. By the 19th century the steep slopes and marl soils formed by the river Piave were already famous. To this day, Prosecco from this tiny sub-zone is entitled to a subtle – but crucially important – labelling variant: Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG. Although rosé Prosecco does not yet allow for a DOCG version, it is well worth searching out producers whose white Prosecco merits this higher designation.As little as 20 years ago, an air of desperation hung over their vineyards. Production costs were high (mainly labour), yet prices remained stubbornly low with the vast majority destined to ride shotgun with cheap peach purée in a slew of Venice tourist traps. My, how times have changed.
Today, almost half a billion bottles of the stuff find their way around the world. It’s a truly staggering figure and, as sales boomed, it is fair to say that standards slipped. In order to meet overwhelming demand, legislative changes in 2009 upgraded a vast swathe of vineyards from IGT to DOC and simultaneously re-christened the grape as ‘Glera’ in an attempt to eliminate production of copy-cat versions. Right on trend, rosé Prosecco was officially granted DOC status in 2020.
At its best, rosé Prosecco is a delight. Glera’s aromas of apple and pear match well with the strawberry and rhubarb of Pinot. Most versions are usefully drier (the maximum residual sugar is 17 g/L) and on a hot summer’s day it slips down a treat. Regulations, however, remain as relaxed as an Italian suit. 10-15% of the final wine must comprise Pinot Noir grown in the same regions of production. It must be 2019 vintage or younger. The red and white components can be blended in the cellar, and the wine must be aged on its lees for 60 days before release. So far, so innocuous – but two big questions remain.
The first is the sheer scale of the DOC. Prosecco can be made from grapes grown anywhere in both the Veneto (except Verona) and Friuli, a combined vineyard area of nearly 200,000 acres. It is unimaginable that the soil and climate could be remotely consistent across a region so vast. The second concern is yields – current legislation permits 135 hl/ha. Compare this with Grand Cru Burgundy at just 35 hl/ha. Inevitably quality will suffer when the vine is allowed to crop at such excessive levels.
For lovers of quality sparkling wines, however, help is at hand. The original DOC in 1969 limited production to 15 communes in the townships of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano. By the 19th century the steep slopes and marl soils formed by the river Piave were already famous. To this day, Prosecco from this tiny sub-zone is entitled to a subtle – but crucially important – labelling variant: Prosecco Superiore Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG. Although rosé Prosecco does not yet allow for a DOCG version, it is well worth searching out producers whose white Prosecco merits this higher designation.