The north-east of Italy is home to the some of the most dynamic wine production in the country, and to a wine making tradition going back centuries. The cooler climate and low-lying valleys of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions are perfectly suited to the production of outstanding sparkling wines, led most significantly by Prosecco DOC.
Prosecco DOC should be found on every restaurant wine list – as the UK’s favourite sparkling wine, diners do want to enjoy it when eating and drinking out – although there is still space to improve its distribution. With 11,609 grape growers, 1,169 wine makers and 347 sparkling houses in the Prosecco DOC regions – between the Dolomites and the Adriatic coast – Prosecco DOC sparkling wine has far more range and complexity than some might assume.
And with the leading co-operatives and large and small independent wine makers producing a wider range of Prosecco DOC wines of top quality, this is the best time to embrace Prosecco as a popular wine that is here to stay, says the Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC, the institution which aims to coordinate and manage the Denomination of Controlled Origin. Prosecco DOC winemakers are producing some outstanding wines that need our proper attention.
Whilst Prosecco DOC sales have increased substantially in the UK over the past fifteen years – we now consume around 110 million bottles annually from the 616 million produced each year - the past few years have seen some of the most exciting developments for the regions with new typologies including Brut Nature - the driest Prosecco DOC now available: the successful introduction of Prosecco DOC Rosé, and considerable investment in sustainable production practices.
