In the average UK town or city, you may find the ‘P’ word adorning tote bags, fridge magnets and glittery kitchen signs before you actually see a bottle of it. When you do, that bottle may be at a bottomless brunch, a local pub or mixed into a spritz. Prosecco has, in some circles, become the wine equivalent of kitsch - both the most commercially successful category of sparkling wine, as well as a wine derided by in-the-know consumers, believing it to be obvious, basic and in poor taste.
Despite the ascendency of Prosecco sales over the last two decades, premium Prosecco - wines marked DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, the highest quality classification for Italian wines) - faces some interesting challenges. How can a wine made with grapes painstakingly harvested by hand, on steep UNESCO protected hillsides, vinified using extremely expensive winery equipment and unmatched technical precision, engage with wine literate consumers who would turn their nose up at the first mention of the ‘P’ word?
The defined area of Prosecco was revised in 2009. This resulted in the promotion of 8100 hectares of hillsides surrounding the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene to DOCG, Italy’s strictest PDO. DOCG wines may be labelled Conegliano Valdobbiadene and may omit entirely the word ‘Prosecco’ on their labels. The revision also extended the less strict DOC area to a 24000ha area covering mostly the Veneto, but also parts of Friuli and Trieste. To put that in context, the DOC covers almost double the hectarage of the whole of Chianti DOCG, and you could fit nearly 17 Gavi DOCGs inside Prosecco DOC.
The similarities between the DOC and the DOCG are straightforward - both sparkling wines, both made predominantly from the Glera grape, both tank method, both from the same corner in North East Italy. But the differences are more striking, and are mostly due to the quality of the vineyard area rather than the method of production. The flat, fertile plains of the DOC favours high volume, inexpensive production, at an often industrial scale. Of course there are exceptions, but on the whole these wines are simpler in style, occasionally dilute, and can lack flavour concentration, resulting in wines that have an excess of sugar used to fill in any sensory gaps.
Though much DOCG Prosecco is premium, these are not wines which are remotely similar to champagne - where traditional method wines such as champagne are characterised by their toasted ‘autolytic’ aroma profile, Prosecco wines are defined by their primary characteristics, the top quality examples showing defined pear, peach and floral aromas. Top quality Prosecco is bright, fresh, fruit-driven, and yes - sometimes a little sweet.
As with much of the sparkling wine category, an increasing number Prosecco DOCG wines contain a lower level of residual sugar. Texturally, many quality-minded producers in the DOCG keep their wine on the lees in tank for several months, a style referred to as ‘charmat lungo’. The action of the dead yeast allows for a fuller texture of DOCG wines, reducing the need to retain high levels of sugar in the finished wine. So, even bone dry styles of Prosecco DOCG are readily found. But don’t forget about the sweeter styles too - when carefully balanced, the sugar serves to amplify the brightness and definition of the fruit.
Other styles of premium Prosecco
Traditional method Prosecco DOCG is permitted but incredibly rare. What is more widely available (and more interesting) are sui lieviti wines. Previously referred to as col fondo, these wines are a variation on Ancestral method production - a base wine undergoes a fermentation to dryness, before which sugar and yeast is added to each bottle, kicking off a second fermentation to yield ‘sparkle’. Unlike the traditional method, these wines are not disgorged and contain sediment as well as a toasty aroma profile alongside the bright fruit.
Pairing Prosecco DOCG with food
What should we eat with premium Prosecco? Drier styles (marked ‘Brut’ or ‘Extra Brut’) could work as an aperitif, whilst the sweeter examples (you may see ‘Extra Dry’ on the label) may work alongside a dessert which is not overly sweet - think fresh fruit. Prosecco DOCG also shines alongside food that has plenty of zip and clean chilli heat. Think a Vietnamese papaya salad with fresh chillis, the flavours of both bring bright and fresh, the slight sweetness of the wine tempering the heat of the chillis. As a more contrasting pairing, consider a South Asian Dosa with lots of coconut chutney - the tropical coconut and complementing the fruit driven wine, with the prosecco freshness cutting through the comforting masala filling.
Ageability of premium Prosecco
Despite their high quality, Prosecco DOCG wines are not considered ageable. The vibrant fruit will fade over time, these wines are designed to be consumed young. In this way, they sit outside of our classical view of fine wine - fresh, unoaked, not suitable for ageing. The best Proseccos are joyful, light on their feet and do not necessarily need to be pored over or examined. They need to be drunk, with people, and purely and simply enjoyed.
