National Prosecco DOC Week Roadshow

In case you didn’t know, June 2-8 is National Prosecco DOC week. The most noted sparkling wine* of Italy, it’s seen a huge spike in popularity thanks to it being approachable, easy to find, affordable, and available in a variety of styles to match every taste.

Two weeks ago I had the chance to attend a roadshow here in Raleigh, NC put on by Colangelo & Partners Public Relations to highlight the region of Italy that produces Prosecco, learn a bit of the history, and taste a few different styles of Prosecco in a tasting guided by Sher Morano, MW.

A bit of history

While sparkling wine has been made in Italy for a long time, it wasn’t until the late 19th century that what we think of as modern Prosecco was first made. Since July 17, 2009 Prosecco can only be produced in 2 regions in the northeastern part of Italy (Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia) with 9 provinces residing in those regions: Padova, Vicenza, Belluno, Treviso, Pordenone, Udine, Gorizia, Trieste, and Venezia. That covers 28,100 hectares of vineyards, 1,046 winemakers, 12,107 wine-growing farms, and 362 sparkling houses.

As part of the DOC distinction the region gained in 2009, the name of the grape used to make Prosecco was changed to Glera and the rules for producing Prosecco were formalized. To be labeled as Prosecco, the wine must be at least 85% Glera, with the other 15% being allowed using local varieties such as Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, or Lunga, as well as international varieties such as Pinot Noir or Chardonnay.

For Prosecco DOC Rose, the wine must be at least 85% Glera, with Pinot Nero vinified as red wine making up the remaining 10-15%.

Prosecco can be produced as a sparkling (spumante), semi-sparkling (frizzante), or as a still wine (tranquillo). Additionally, it can range from Brut Nature (very dry) to Demi-Sec (sweet).

In 2024 the region produced 660 million bottles of wine with an estimated retail value of 3.6 billion euros.

While most Prosecco is consumed in Europe, the North America receives just over a quarter of all Prosecco produced as an export.

Harvest and Production

Prosecco sees the grapes harvested in September. They’re then destemmed and pressed; if making Rose’ Pinot Noir/Nero is left to mascerate on the skins to extract the desired color. Following that the wine undergoes its first fermentation in steel tanks for around 15-20 days. The second fermentation, which turns the wine into sparkling, takes 30 days and is done under pressure to preserve the CO2 and give the wine its bubbles. While Prosecco can come in different styles, 76.7% of Prosecco is sparkling, with the majority of that being Brut or Extra Dry.

The Wines

As part of this event we got to taste six different wines: 3 white and 3 rose’. Here’s a quick breakdown of them.

Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut – $16 SRP

100% Glera, with light, bright straw color. Aromas of apple and honey on the nose with just a hint of white peach. Balanced acidity. Very refreshing, with notes of apple and peach.

Val d’Oca Prosecco DOC Extra Dry – $14 SRP

85% Glera, with a bright ,very clear, yellow color. Pear and green apple aromas, with a hint of sweetness on the nose that was more pronounced than the previous wine. Flavors of peaches and green apples. Less acidity than the previous wine, but certainly not “sweet.” Would make an excellent aperitif.

La Marca Prosecco DOC Extra Dry – $18 SRP

100% Glera. Straw color with aromas of honeysuckle and white peach. Lemon, green apple, and white peach flavors. Nice acidity with a soft finish. Easy drinking; would love to pair this with oysters or something light on a warm day.

Masottina Collezione 96 Prosecco DOC Rose’ Brut 2023 – $16 SRP

90% Glera and 10% Pinot Nero. Pale pink in color (on the red side of the pink spectrum). Aromas of apple honey, peach, and a hint of yeast. Flavors of white pepper and pomegranate. Lively in the mouth with good acid. Wanted to pair with spicy food.

La Gioiosa Prosecco DOC Rose’ Brut 2023 – $17 SRP

A mix of Glera and Pinot Nero, there were hints of orange in the pink hues. Aromas of rose, pomegranate, red fruit, and a hint of bramble. The wine was smooth, with notes of earth, bramble, white pepper, and raspberry.

Lamberti Prosecco DOC Rose’ Extra Dry 2024 – $19 SRP

85% Glera and 15% Pinot Nero. A vibrant, pale pink color. Aromas of white peach and strawberry. Soft in the mouth, with flavors of strawberry and peach. Would make an excellent aperitif.

Wrapping up

I had an amazing time at this tasting, and want to say thanks to Colangelo & Partners Public Relations again for hosting this event, specifically our hosts Andrew and Maddie. A huge shoutout to Sheri Morano for her amazing background on the region, the wine, and for the guided tasting.

Don’t forget that Prosecco week is June 2-8, so check your local wine shops, retailers, and restaurants for any events of specials they may be running. Prosecco is grown in popularity, thanks in small part to the growth in popularity of sprtiz drinks and cocktails, but the wine by itself is truly fantastic, and when my wife and I head to Italy this fall, I plan to drink plenty Prosecco (especially when we’re in Venice).