Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine from the region Veneto. Located to the northeast of the country and has long been considered the poor man’s Champagne. This couldn’t be further from truth, both because there are some great, refined (and expensive) Proseccos that do exist, and because the production method is different from Champagne, which is made according to traditional methode Champenois, while Prosecco is made according to Charmat-Martinotti method. This means that the second fermentation takes place in autoclaves, instead of in single bottles, and that process has completely different aromas develop. Champagne has aromas of bread crust and yeast while Prosecco is semi-sweet or nearly dry, energetic, and fresh—the perfect Venetian aperitivo, as well as a component of the classic Bellini cocktail.

What is Prosecco made of?

Prosecco is mainly made from the Glera grape, an indigenous white grape variety typical of the area of Conegliano, in the province of Treviso. If the wine is not at DOC level, the name Prosecco may no longer be used on labels, and the grape is listed under its historical name—Glera

Where is Prosecco produced?

The area within which Prosecco is produced is very large, if compared with other Italian wine sub-regions, because it runs from the province of Vicenza, in central Veneto, to the province of Trieste, by the border to Slovenia. This is the DOC production area, which is the area where quality sparkling wine is made from Glera grapes, variety is allowed to be called “Prosecco DOC”, as long as it is made according to Italian Wine Laws.

There is also Two DOCG zones in place for Prosecco from the 2009 vintage onward: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG and the more obscure Asolo Prosecco DOCG, formerly known as Prosecco Montello e Colli Asolani. While both may produce still wine in addition to sparkling, the focus is on the frizzante and the spumante superiore styles. Fully sparkling superiore wines from both appellations may be produced from brut to demi-sec in sweetness; in practice the wines are principally extra dry or brut. The semi-sparkling styles sometimes undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle—a style indicated on the label. The hilly zone between the communes of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene represents the historical heartland of Prosecco production; in accordance with the area’s new recognition as DOCG, the producers’ consorzioambitiously aims for the development of crus in the region.

What are the main Prosecco production guidelines?

If we talk about DOCG guidelines, Prosecco must be made at least of 85% of Glera grape variety, while the remaining 15% can be composed both of indigenous and international non-aromatic white varieties, such as verdiso, perera and bianchetta trevigiana on one side, and pinot gris, pinot blanc and chardonnay on the other one. The only mandatory peculiarities of the added grapes consist in being grown in the same production area and being part of the historic “recipe” of Prosecco, by being a traditional local farm. Most Prosecco is released as non-vintage; the wine may be released with a vintage date if the wine is comprised from a minimum 85% of the stated year’s harvest. The Prosecco grape makes up a minimum 85% of the wine from both DOCG zones. While the DOCGs represent a renewed effort in establishing quality and image, the majority of wine is released below even the blanket Prosecco DOC level. If the wine is not at DOC level, the name Prosecco may no longer be used on labels, and the grape is listed under its historical name—Glera

Why Enjoy Prosecco?

Prosecco is usually considered a wine that should be drunk as an aperitif (the habit of having a drink a couple of hours before dinner is something typical of Italian lifestyle), because it’s fresh and light, but top quality Proseccos can be drunk throughout the meal, if well paired. Prosecco should be chosen anytime a sparkling wine is needed, but the bakery scents of sparkling wine produced with a classic method (not only Champagne, but Cremant, Franciacorta and Cava, too) should better be replaced with fruity, fresher ones.

What should be paired Prosecco?

Pairs perfectly with grilled fish, smoked trout, grilled vegetables, vegetarian salads and Asian dishes, such as spring rolls or chicken satay. This versatile wine can be served as an aperitif and anche pairs well with desserts like tiramisu or spicy Asian foods like massaman curry.

My favorite Prosecco producer is Zardetto.

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Title/Role: 

Filippo Zardetto, owner and sales manager

Q1: Please, tell us about how you got into wine, the wine industry and how your career developed?

Just like my dad, granddad and other 3 generation before him, I was born "inside" the wine industry since our home was just upstairs the winery, in Ogliano hills, just north of Conegliano. Since I was very young, I was involved in harvest, vinification processes and, after finishing the high school, in sales. Since that time, I've been travelling all around the world most of the year developing Zardetto Prosecco sales network.

Q2: What is your winemaking philosophy; that is, what are you trying to achieve with your wines?

The basic point is to bring into the bottle the different characteristics that make all single terroirs of Prosecco region unique. This involves single parcel vinification, extremely light clarification, and house selection of yeasts starting from the indigenous ones and technology investments.

Q3: Which varietal is your favorite to work with and why?

As a Prosecco specialist, we basically work only with the Glera grapes. The last planted vineyards include experimental vines from different other clones of Glera taken from all 80/90 year old vines of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene region.

Q4: What are the biggest changes you've seen in winemaking since you got started?

Starting from a "generalistic" philosophy of Prosecco, with only one blend of vineyards and creating different wines changing the residual sugar (many Prosecco producers still work in this way) going to a "cru approach" of Prosecco, selecting different vineyards for every wine. This is why at the moment we produce 7 brut.

Q5: How do you see the future of wine production and what are the challenges and the opportunities?

Quality wines' future can develop only if producers and the whole wine supply chain invest in wine knowledge. If people know what they are drinking, and don’t drink it only because it's fashionable or cheap, they could have a lot better wine experience. The future is making every wine unique starting from indigenous grapes and terroir characteristic. Less generalization and more connection with the place when your wine is made.

Q6: Where do you see the global wine market in 10 years?

US market, like many other young but big wine markets in the world (Asia, UK) are now discovering the universe of wine and how many different option they can have. Now many wine drinkers are just overwhelmed of having too many buying option and usually buy the cheapest or the one with the fanciest label because they simply have no idea of what they are looking for. After 10/15 year of wine drinking, people in those growing market will start to understand the difference and will drive the average quality level up.

Q7: What was your favorite family meal growing up and why?

When I was young, we hade a whole family lunch almost every weekend! In the winery, the was where the whole family lived, my granddad Pino used to cook the "spiedies", a meat skewer with pork, chicken and rabbit slowly cooked (7 hours) on the fire with sage, lemon and oil sauce. That was a good time to stay together.

Q8: What would people be surprised to know about you?

How much wine can I drink without feeling it!

Zardetto has been equipped with the best in modern winemaking machinery and technology, guaranteeing their ability to deliver high-quality Prosecco to a large international audience, and further enhancing the quality and flavor of the estate’s impeccable collection. Today, Zardetto Prosecco is enjoyed from New York to Hong Kong, continuing the long and storied tradition of the Zardetto family for wine lovers around the world.LOCATION OF VINEYARDSThe Zardetto philosophy is steeped in the potential of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene hills, aiming to make sparkling Prosecco that truly emphasizes the characteristics of the beloved land. This requires a consistently high level of quality, from exploring new soil in search of unique characteristics, to a significant investment in technology. Fabio personally oversees the entire process, from the vine to the final customer, utilizing his rich knowledge of every hill and terroir in the Prosecco DOC to source the best grapes of the region.Zardetto Prosecco grapes are currently sourced from:

• Zardetto-owned vineyards in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG.

• Prosecco DOC designated for limited edition cru wines (86 total acres).

• Limited and exclusive vineyards utilizing special soil or unique terroir characteristics (collected and separately vinified).

• High-quality co-op wineries in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG hills (including the villages of Feletto, Ogliano, Carpesica, Rolle, Col San Martino and Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene).

• The Prosecco DOC.

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY
After collecting separate grapes from each vineyard with respect to the appropriate maturation time (depending on exposition, location, soil, etc.), Zardetto brings them to the winery where they chill and softly press them. The juice is then ready for fermentation and initial contact with yeasts. To create sparkling Prosecco, secondary fermentation is carried out in large pressured tanks called autoclavi, also known as “The Italian Method,” over a period of nearly 40 days. This process results in the characteristic flowery, fruity Prosecco taste. Once secondary fermentation is complete, the Prosecco is finally filtered and bottled.

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