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Prosecco DOCG: celebration without euphoria
July 2009

Not waiting for the release of official documents, on 25 June the consortium of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene wines announced that its sparkling wines production zone DOC Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene received the highest in the Italian wine hierarchy status of DOCG.

Starting from this vintage, approximately half of all wines labeled as Prosecco (the other half will be discussed later), formally become equal in ranks with Barolo, Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino and a number of other prestigious Italian wines.

To insiders, the information was not unexpected. About a year ago there were discussions that the initiative was possible. If the consortium were to do it, it would have good chances for success, also because of a likely patronage in the highest circles. Minister of agriculture Luca Zaia comes from this part of Italy and even graduated from the Enological school in Conegliano with A levels.

A formal presentation of what producers and consumers might expect from new regulations was held in mid-May at the traditional festival Vino in Villa which is annually organized in the Prosecco area, on the grounds of Castello San Salvatore. The party was double this year, also thanks to a grand celebration of the DOC Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene 40th anniversary. President Franco Adami and director Giancarlo Vettorello found the event a suitable platform for spreading good news about the coming reforms in front of the audience of Italian and foreign journalists.

Prosecco’s impetuous commercial success in the past 15 years, especially on export markets, led to speculations and confusion, said Franco Adami. In some cases Prosecco acquired a new meaning of a type of consumption (classical aperitif) rather than a type of wine. In some countries (Adami cited the US) Prosecco became a category for all sparkling Italian wines (wrong!).

Yet, it is not as easy to define Prosecco as one hopes for. The matter is complicated by the fact that even in Italy the word means several things. Firstly, it is a white grape whose origin is traced to the north-east of Italy. There is even a village called Prosecco not far from Trieste. According to one of the most common hypotheses, it can be considered a birthplace of the eponymous grape (and might also lead to a potential conflict similar to that between the Hungarian geographic appellation of Tokaj and the Italian grape Tocai). At present, while main Prosecco vineyards are located in Treviso province, the grape is also cultivated in about ten other provinces — not only in Veneto, but also, for instance, in Piedmont. According to Giancarlo Vettorello, Processo vineyards in Italy account for 11,000 hectares. Treviso province is home to 9,700 hectares, of which 4,900 are locatead in DOC Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Plantings in Brazil (800 hectares according to Gianluca Bisol), Argentina, Australia, China, India and Romania are also known.

Secondly, Prosecco is usually associated with a certain type of wine and production method, namely a sparkling wine with a secondary fermentation in pressurized steel tanks (also known as Charmat method). Sparkling Prosecco in Conegliano-Valdobbiadene accounts for over 80% of all production. Yet eighty percent is not a hundred, and still Prosecco legitimately exists in the same area, which creates additional confusion for consumers. By law, Prosecco wine can only be white (minimum 85% Prosecco, and maximum 15% local white varieties — Verdiso, Perera, Bianchetta and Prosecco Lungo). But some ‘smart’ producers manage to get pink ‘Prosecco’ where, obviously, red grapes are involved. The reason for doing is simple — commercial attractiveness of Prosecco labels is much higher than those of an anonymous vino spumante.

Thirdly, and it is almost absurd, sparkling Prosecco in the Veneto region can be produced in either IGT or DOC categories. Along with three DOC Prosecco (Montello Colli Asolani, Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze), there are four IGT Prosecco, with fewer restrictions in production and corresponding implications on quality and prices. Most consumers are not aware of the trick and do not read small type of the labels, and they do not understand why between two similar bottles of Prosecco one costs 3 euros and the other ten.

One tends to agree with Franco Adami who at the May conference stated that it was time to review laws which had been passed 40 years ago and had remained unchanged. Adami correctly noted that when buying a bottle of Prosecco a consumer should have a guarantee of origin and certain quality level, that falsifiers and imitators should be persecuted, that Prosecco marketing should switch focus from the grape to the place of origin like it is done in classical European wine regions.

Giancarlo Vettorello presented a new proposal. According to it, four IGT zones will be transformed into one DOC Prosecco. Boundaries of the new DOC will include 9 provinces in Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia. Outside of the zone Prosecco wines will be known as Glera (another name for Prosecco). Three current DOC areas will be promoted to DOCG with some changes. Montello Colli Asolani will be renamed into Colli Asolani Prosecco. Conegliano Valdobbiadene will become Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore. If the wine comes from a certain commune (of 15approved), the label can additionally feature “Rive di (commune)”. Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze will stay unchanged, and also promoted to DOCG.

Vettorello also presented new labels for the area. The largest text with all capital letters features CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE. Prosecco Superiore is written on the next line. The third reads Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita. If a wine is produced in a certain commune, the last line can optionally state Rive di ... .

Already then many questions emerged. It is necessary to move the accent towards the production zone, but will consumers really notice the difference between Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco? Moreover, producers themselves admit the problem of difficult pronunciation of both names. This alienates consumers, especially at the export markets. It is a challenge to find the right marketing solution, but it should be found. And why add Superiore? It adds no value (again, especially on the export markets) — DOCG name in this case is enough. And what will the appendix with the name of a commune achieve? Prosecco, with all my love for the wine, in the near future will hardly be able to attract an army of connoisseurs who will be willing to discuss terroir peculiarities of the wine that had never before entered in the annals of the world’s finest winemaking.

Yet, the new law has been passed. Its effect on consumer wine purchases will likely be unnoticed. But the total count of Prosecco bottles drunk by producers will certainly reach a few hundred. This will again prove that Prosecco is perfect for any celebration. Especially if it is all about Prosecco.

General facts about Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco

Total vineyards: 4 908 hectares
Total communes: 15
Total grape growers: 2 913
Total wine companies: 166
Total wine sales of 2008 vintage: 57 434 000 bottles
Of which sparkling Prosecco: 48 058 000 bottles
Export of sparkling Prosecco of 2008 vintage: 17 230 000 bottles