What Is Prosecco?

When people talk about sparkling wine or "bubbles", the name Champagne often dominates — but this isn't entirely fair. While Champagne is a classic favorite, there are plenty of other sparkling wines perfect for celebrating holidays, toasting special moments, or enjoying at brunch.

Prosecco is a bubbly that you’ve probably spotted on many wine lists, but what exactly is it? And how does it compare to its sparkling counterpart?

Prosecco Facts

Prosecco hails from Italy, predominantly the Veneto region, where the volcanic, non-fertile soil near the hills gives the grapes their distinct character. The name Prosecco is derived from the village of Prosecco in Friuli, Northern Italy.

What grapes are used in Prosecco, you ask? Great question. Prosecco is crafted from glera, a light-bodied, green-skinned white grape. This sparkling wine is a favorite among those who dream of Champagne but prefer a more budget-friendly option.

Prosecco is smooth, light, with a hint of sweetness, and a gentle fizz. It’s fruity and less sharply crisp than Champagne, with flavors of melon, apple, peach, and pear that pair beautifully with the bitter notes of amaro in a spritz—where Champagne's bready character might not shine.

Is Prosecco Considered Wine?

Absolutely! Wine is simply fermented grape juice, and that’s exactly what Prosecco is, with the added bonus of carbon dioxide for that signature sparkle.

Spumante is often used as a synonym for Prosecco. It’s an Italian term for “sparkling wine” or “bubbly wine”. (Don’t confuse it with frizzante, which means semi-sparkling.) There’s also flat Prosecco, which has little or no bubbles, but it’s rare and not widely available. For this article, we’re sticking with the sparkling variety.

Prosecco vs. Champagne

Both are sparkling, crisp, and bursting with acidity, but that’s where the similarities end. The real differences between Prosecco and Champagne come down to three factors: geography, production method, and the grape varieties used.

Many wines around the world, especially in Europe, are protected by their region of origin to ensure authenticity. As mentioned, Prosecco comes from Italy, and the name refers to the region, not the wine itself. Only wines from the Prosecco region in Italy can be legally called Prosecco.

Similarly, Champagne can only be called Champagne if it’s produced in the Champagne region of France. However, many sparkling wines, including those from California, are made in the Champagne style, or méthode champenoise, in an attempt to replicate true Champagne. The méthode champenoise is a complex, labor-intensive process that includes:

• Harvesting the grapes
• Pressing the grapes
• Fermentation of the grapes
• Blending
• Liqueur de Tirage: A process where the winemaker moves the wine to its permanent bottle and adds a blend of sugar and yeast
• Second fermentation: The fermentation process occurring in-bottle.
• Aging
• Riddling: A six- to eight-week step where the wine is placed in A-frame racks with the neck down, and a person (known as a riddler) turns each one slightly while gradually tipping the bottle further down until the bottle is completely vertical and the sediments have collected in the neck
• Dégorgement: This entails submerging the bottle’s neck in a brine solution to freeze it and removing the temp cap, causing the sediments to shoot out, compliments of carbon dioxide.
• Dosage: Adding a combination of wine and cane sugar, where the wine maker decides how sweet or dry he/she wants the Champagne to be.
• Recorking: In other words, adding a real cork to the bottle.

In contrast, Prosecco is made using the charmat method, where the second fermentation occurs in pressurized tanks rather than individual bottles. This process is less labor-intensive and more affordable — something reflected in Prosecco’s price. These tanks can hold up to 100,000 bottles of sparkling wine at once, ensuring a consistent product on a much larger scale.

Lately, a traditional technique known as col fondo or "with sediment" is making a comeback. In this method, the wine is bottled while still fermenting, allowing it to develop natural bubbles inside the bottle. The resulting sediment contributes a unique texture and a yeasty character. These wines tend to be dry, as they don't undergo any additional dosage.

Key Grapes

To be labeled as Prosecco, the wine must consist of at least 85% glera grapes. Other varieties may be included, such as chardonnay, pinot grigio, pinot bianco, pinot noir, verdiso, bianchetta trevigiana, and perera — but these additional grapes cannot make up more than 15% of the blend.

Rosé Prosecco is crafted by adding pinot noir grapes and leaving them on the skins, which imparts the wine’s signature pink hue.

Champagne is produced from several grape varieties, most notably chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, with occasional additions of arbane, petit meslier, and pinot gris.

Prosecco Varieties

When it comes to Prosecco — or sparkling wines in general — things can get a bit complicated. To help you navigate the options, here's a handy guide to the various categories you’ll encounter.

Categories of Prosecco

• Extra-Brut: very dry
• Brut: a bit sweeter than extra-brut
• Extra-Dry: sweeter than both brut options
• Dry: the sweetest option

It’s a bit of a puzzle, isn’t it? And just to complicate things further, here’s how to understand Champagne classifications when shopping.

Champagne Varieties

• Brut: dry
• Extra-Dry: somewhat dry, but less dry than brut
• Sec: semi-sweet
• Demi-Sec: sweet

For a bone-dry option, go for a brut nature or zero dosage Champagne.

How to Enjoy Prosecco

Chill your sparkling wine! Who would ever choose to drink a warm soda? Definitely not me.

Contrary to popular belief, a flute isn’t the best choice for sparkling wines like Prosecco or Champagne. A wider glass allows the bubbles to spread and the wine to breathe, enhancing its flavor. The 1920s to 1980s were on point, serving bubbly in coupe glasses. While flutes may look elegant, they don’t improve the bubbles.

Prosecco is a fantastic aperitif (especially since it's one of the lowest ABV wines, typically around 12%). The Venetians certainly know how to do it right, enjoying bubbly by the glass in the late afternoon as an ombrette, a cheerful pick-me-up. Now that's how you do happy hour!

Sparkling wine is often the drink of choice for celebrations, but why wait for a special occasion? We should all feel free to enjoy it any day of the week. Prosecco, in particular, is a budget-friendly and delicious base for mimosas, bellinis, or spritzes (and when you order one at brunch, it’s probably made with Prosecco or Cava from Spain).

Don’t just save Prosecco for dessert! It pairs beautifully with savory dishes as well. Try it alongside fried foods or anything featuring prosciutto — the combination is outstanding.