So, is the grape variety used to make Prosecco, Prosecco?
It was and still is, though it has been renamed Glera. There are lots of hypotheses as to why the name was changed and a fair amount of controversy – Italians you know, there needs to be a long discussion. The variety itself is a very old Italian one dating back to Roman times and traced to the town of Prosecco in Trieste, Northern Italy.
To make the sparkling wine that we have become very familiar with around the world, the Charmat method is used. The base wine is made by pressing the grapes and fermenting the juice to make a wine. The next step is a second fermentation, which, when sparkling wine is made by the Champagne method, occurs in the bottle. The Champagne method is referred to as méthode traditionnelle and is used around the world (including in Italy, in Franciacorta). For the Charmat method, the second fermentation (the one that creates the bubbles in a sparkling wine) takes place in a stainless-steel tank that is sealed (to capture the bubbles).
Prosecco wine was awarded a DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) in 1969, however the area recognised at this stage was quite small. Since then there have been many changes as the popularity of Prosecco soared around the world. In 2009 the laws around Prosecco production and the DOC changed, and a new classification came in. At this point the areas that could produce DOC changed and the denomination for DOCG was introduced.
The additional ‘G’ on the classification standing for Garantita, a guarantee of quality. It was also from this point forward that the variety used was known as Glera, and that Rosé Prosecco was excluded from the classification. Wines could be made into Rosé and produced in the same way as Prosecco, but as they fell outside the classification they would be called Rosé Spumante. Essentially, Italian Sparkling Rosé.
The law has once again changed and this year it has been announced that Prosecco Rosé will be allowed. With global sales of Rosé and Prosecco so strong, the wine world is eagerly awaiting the arrival of these wines into markets worldwide. It is close now and when they do arrive, there is a set of clear regulations:
• The variety must be Glera with 10 – 15% Pinot Nero. The red variety will be pressed, and the wine made without contact from the skins, ensuring the colour will be pale.
• Prosecco Rosé must be vintage dated, rather than a non-vintage style.
• All Prosecco Rosé will be DOC, leaving the prestigious DOCG areas for the top white production.
• The time that the wine must spend in vat will be a minimum of 60 days, which is double that of Prosecco.
All very interesting regulations that will see the Prosecco Rosé landing on our shelves qualitative in nature.
With much change afoot, do you need to be cautious and ensure that you are buying Prosecco Rosé under the new regulation and not Rosé Sparkling wine from Italy, made from Glera before the law changed? The style of these new wines will be different, and one expects the quality to be sound given the regulations. Better than Rosé Sparkling from Italy? Not necessarily, but helpful to ensure that pink wines that essentially are Prosecco Rosé can be called that – yes, for sure.