All systems go for pink Prosecco

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 22 May, 2020

Prosecco DOC Rosé has now been enshrined in Italian law, meaning the trade can expect to see the first official ‘pink Proseccos’ hitting shelves in 2021.

The Prosecco DOC Consortium gave its approval for a rosé Prosecco made from Glera and Pinot Noir grapes last year.

As Harpers reported at the time, there were still some legal issues that needed to be dealt with before the harvest and production of a rosé Prosecco could start.

Those kinks have now been ironed out, with the consortium now estimating that production of rosé could total 30 million bottles per year.

The new hue is widely hoped to boost the category which has seen slowed growth since 2018.

In Harpers’ most recent Prosecco feature, which focused on the new designation, we reported that Prosecco has almost single-handedly kept the wine market – and not just sparkling wine – in growth globally over the past few years, up 13.9% between 2013 and 2018, rising to 31.6 million nine-litre cases (379.2 million bottles), according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Over the same period, Champagne sales worldwide fell slightly by 1%, from 304.9 million to 301.1 million bottles.

However, sales have tailed off since 2018, with the plans for rosé Prosecco hoped to boost sales.

Under the official rules, Prosecco DOC Rosé must include Glera grapes and 10%-15% Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), with yields at 18 tons/hectare for Glera and 13.5 tons/hectare for Pinot Nero.

Sales will be allowed from the 1 January after the harvest.

Second fermentation must be in the Martinotti/Charmat method for a minimum of 60 days.

Residual sugar can range from Brut Nature to Extra Dry, and the label will have to state the word ‘Millesimato’ and the vintage, with a minimum of 85% of the grapes from that year.

Consortium president Stefano Zanette thanked “all those who have contributed to obtaining this important result, in a moment particularly tough for the wine industry.”

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