The spirit of the festive season is a time when people embrace shared moments, celebrations and a sprinkling of decadence and it’s prime time for retailers and on-trade venues to really bolster their sparkling offering. Ensuring customers can select a bottle that delivers the experience they seek, whilst increasing crucial spend and profit at this key trading period of the year.
‘But I don't need another sparkling wine!’
Fizz, sparkling, asti, cava, prosecco - it's become a colloquially synonymous way to refer to the category but let’s be clear…not all bubbles are the same and Prosecco invariably is King (or Queen)… Indeed, the UK is the largest market in the world for Prosecco, importing over a third of all the Prosecco shipped worldwide. People love it, they ask for it, and indeed they expect to see it whether on a wine menu or retail shelf but if you were to be quizzed on what it is, how much would you actually know about it?!
So what exactly is Prosecco?
First and foremost, Prosecco is the name of a small village near the city of Trieste in the province of Veneto in north-east Italy, very close to the border of Slovenia. That’s one for a festive round of Trivial Pursuits!
Beyond that, Prosecco as we most famously know it, is a sparkling wine. Made predominantly from the Glera grape, it ranges from dry to semi-sweet and is available in various forms, including ‘frizzante’ (fizzy), spumante (sparkling) and the more specialist ‘tranquilo’ (still). Prosecco labelled as frizzanti is gently sparkling, while spumanti has significantly more pressure and bubbles.
Where Is Prosecco Made?
Nestled in the rolling foothills of Veneto in Northern Italy, a mere stone’s throw from Venice lies the exclusive Prosecco producing region. Just as Champagne has its geographical exclusivity in France, Prosecco boasts its own designated area within this Italian region where its production is confined.
This vast expanse stretches 20,000 hectares of breathtakingly beautiful hills and has been awarded UNESCO status in recognition of its outstanding universal value.
The vineyards are mainly on hillsides which ensure the vines get good exposure to the ripening warmth and sunlight. The cooling winds that roll down from the Alps ensure that the grapes don't over ripen and retain the fresh, green fruit characteristics that contribute to the signature style.
No DOC, no DOCG, no Prosecco…
Two levels of quality classification ensures Prosecco’s authenticity.
Labelled as either DOC or DOCG, Prosecco DOC “Denominazione di Origine Controllata,” represents the region authorised to produce Prosecco. This term equates to “Controlled Designation of Origin” and serves as an Italian quality assurance stamp. It certifies that the wine you’re choosing is sourced from this specific area and crafted according to exacting winemaking protocols and quality standards ie. it has earned the right to be called Prosecco.
The classification of DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) was relatively recently established in 2009 and refers to the top quality Proseccos which are produced exclusively in the provinces of Valdobbiadene (the most famous), Conegliano (the historic center for Prosecco production), and Asolo (the least known of the top townships for Prosecco production).
The bottom line is Prosecco grown in Valdobbiadene, Conegliano and Asolo is hillside Prosecco while Proseccos grown in the greater Veneto and Friuli region is valley floor Prosecco. The hillside Prosecco is prized and has to be hand-farmed because the slopes of the hills are famously steep and is prized for it’s quality.
Naturally, there’s nearly always a difference in price. But as we all know, you get what you pay for.
You say prosecco, I say Prosecco
Well there’s a fair amount of debate on whether to capitalise the ‘P’ in Prosecco. Some do, some don’t. There’s a lot of vineyard confusion but at the end of the day there’s no right or wrong on this one - both are fine. So, there you have it. Some say Prosecco, some say prosecco. And that’s OK!
Mark it in the calendar
National Prosecco Day is celebrated annually on August 13th. A celebration dedicated to the enjoyment of this wine. Cheers to that!
You can with Canti
Fratelli Martini Secondo Luigi spa, one of the largest Italian family-run winemakers, was founded in 1947. Famous for its Casa Sant’Orsola winery and throughout the world with the Canti brand, it is synonymous with all things Prosecco.
Canti Prosecco was born in the early 2000's when Fratelli Martini, a company with a long history of producing high quality Prosecco under other labels started the Canti brand. Introduced to the UK market in 2002, Canti has become a powerhouse brand growing its distribution to more than 50 countries and becoming the best-selling Prosecco brand in the world!
Now it’s not for now to debate the pros and cons of branded wines in on-trade but suffice to say that Canti hasn't hit the Prosecco top spot through any form of good luck or coincidence, quite simply consumers the world over love it! It’s a brand that people resonate with, love the taste and buy it again and again. What’s not to like? It’s good for shoppers, consumers and retailers alike and it won’t lose its sparkle by gathering dust…
“Canti is simply more than an Italian Prosecco, it’s a celebration of the Italian spirit which we have come to love and appreciate through cuisine, travel and style”
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