Something New Sparkles in Italy:
PROSECCO ROSÉ By Jill Kwiatkoski, Sommelier (CAPS) The year 2020 had many milestones we’d like to forget— but one big event changed all of our lives for the better. Drum roll, please: there’s a wine announcement to make! In May of 2020, in the northeastern Prosecco-producing wine regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, two hot trends came together to make wine history: Prosecco Rosé became official!
That’s the technical stuff. Now let’s get to the wine!
On May 21, 2020, the Prosecco DOC Consortium changed Prosecco’s production rules for the first time since 2009, announcing: “Prosecco DOC Rosé was unanimously approved by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies’ National Wine Committee.” This means that Prosecco Rosé is now deemed a legal and official style of Prosecco that can be produced in these specific regions and labelled and sold as such.
According to the Prosecco DOC Consortium, the total production of Prosecco Rosé could be over 30 million bottles per year! Prosecco Rosé is big business and a new player in the world of bubbles. Enjoy it—it is here to stay.
The production of “Prosecco Rosé” itself is not a new concept. It has been made for years, but prior to this announcement, Prosecco Rosé was never sold officially under that label—it was just a sparkling rosé. Behind all that fun and sparkle, where the beautiful worlds of bubbles and rosé collide, like all official wine designations in the world, Prosecco DOC Rosé now has rules of production, regulations, and quality standards that must be followed. Among them: they must come from Veneto and/or Friuli-Venezia Giulia; grape varieties allowed are minimum 85% Glera and 10–15% Pinot Nero; secondary fermentation must be by the Charmat Method for a minimum of 60 days in stainless steel tanks; the wine cannot be sold until January 1, following the harvest; and sugar cannot exceed 17 g/litre. Prosecco Rosé can be labelled Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, and Extra Dry but can only be sold in glass bottles that are a single colour (no cans, boxes, or taps). Producers must also follow strict labelling protocols, including printing “Millesimato” followed by the vintage (85% of grapes must come from this vintage) on the label, a paper government label across the foil certifying its DOC status, and a QR code to verify the wine’s authenticity.
Prosecco Rosés have a stunning soft pink hue with beautiful flavours and aromas. Notes of apple, pear, white flowers, and citrus with hints of strawberry and cherry from the addition of Pinot Nero give Prosecco Rosé roundness and depth of flavour.
Celebrate International Prosecco Day on August 13 with one of our new Prosecco Rosés! #ProseccoDay
Colli Euganei 2021 i Fossili Extra Dry Prosecco Rosé ($19.99) Giusti 2020 Rosalia Extra Dry Prosecco Rosé ($21.99) Botter 2020 Extra Dry Prosecco Rosé ($19.99) Sensi 2020 18K Brut Prosecco Rosé ($25.99) Cabert 2020 Villa Marchesi Prosecco Rosé ($21.99)
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