Prosecco Flashcards
What grape varietal is mainly used for Prosecco
Glera
What method is used mainly for Prosecco wines?
tank method
Where in Italy is Prosecco made?
North eastern Italy
General SAT for Prosecco
light to med - intensity apple and pear (peach
light body
med to med + acidity
low to med alcohol
sweetness ranges from Brut to Demi-Sec Extra dry most common)
spumante and frizzante
acceptable to good quality
DOC - mid priced with some inexpensive
DOCG - mid priced few at premium
What was Glera, the principal grape for Prosecco formally known as?
Prosecco
Why was the name of the grape changed from Prosecco to Glera?
so that Prosecco could be used to designate defined areas that were entitled to use the name and prevent other regions or countries from exploiting the success of the name
What three PDOs have been formed since Glera was no longer Prosecco?
Prosecco DOC
Conegliano Valdobbiandene - Prosecco DOCG
Asolo Prosecco DOCG
What was Prosecco DOC called prior to that?
IGT
How many provinces did IGT cover before becoming Prosecco DOC?
9 in the regions of Veneto and Friuli
What does the Prosecco DOC cover today?
from Trieste to Vicenza
how many ha are in the Prosecco DOC?
24,000
Where are the grapes overwhelmingly grown for Prosecco?
on the plains even though there are a lot of mountains and hills
What two areas can be added to the Prosecco DOC if the grapes have been grown and wine made within them?
Treviso and Trieste
What area was promoted from Prosecco DOC to Prosecco DOCG?
the hilly historic area between the towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene (8,100 ha)
what is the altitude of the vineyards in Prosecco DOCG?
200-320 m
What is the true name of Prosecco DOCG?
Congeliano Valdobbiadene - producers must use either or both of the towns names
What can be added and/or subtracted from the label in the Prosecco DOCG spumante category?
the term Superiore can be added
Prosecco can be omitted
How many ha does Asolo Prosecco DOCG have
over 2000
Where is Asolo Prosecco DOCG?
in a hilly area just south of Valdobbiadene
What can be added to the label in the AsoloProsecco DOCG spumante category?
Superiore
What are the vols by percentage of each of the three Prosecco denominations
Prosecco DOC = 82%
Prosecco DOCG = 15%
Asolo Prosecco DOCG = 3%
What is the climate of Prosecco DOC
warm and moderately continental with moderate rainfall
what is the flat plain of Prosecco DOC affected by?
moist air and fog from the rivers of the region which increase the number of sprays needed to combat disease
What are the benefits of the hillier areas of Prosecco DOCG?
cooling influences coming from altitude and higher diurnal temp ranges which makes for longer slower ripening leading to higher acidity and more intense fruit flavors
Describe soils in the Prosecco region overall
they vary considerably but in general are more fertile on the plain which contributes to higher yields and lighter intensity wines
Describe Glera as a Varietal?
vigorous, semi-aromatic, capable of very high yields
What is Glera susceptible to?
millerandage, powdery and downy mildew, drought in the summer, and grapevine yellows
How is Glera trained?
trained long, typically on vertically trellised systems with 8-12 buds (first 2 buds don’t bear much fruit)
what density is Glera planted?
low to medium planting density (3000 plants /ha) are normal due to the vigor
What are permitted yields for Glera?
high
What varieties are permitted in Prosecco?
normally 100% Glera, however up to 15% other local varieties or certain international varieties are also permitted
What are the common options for Glera training systems?
Sylvoz, Double arched cane, and single or double Guyot
Describe the Sylvoz system
high cordon system with shoots that hang downwards
What is the Sylvoz system well suited for
high vigor sites such as on the fertile flatter land of Prosecco DOC and where the aim is for high yields (sometimes in DOCG)
What are the advantages of Sylvoz system
inexpensive to create, minimizes winter pruning, and is suitable for machine harvesting - reducing cost
height of cordon provides some protection from frost
What are the disadvantages of Sylvoz system
may encourage overcropping, requires careful monitoring, and trimming of the canopy to avoid excessive shading and it is difficult to distribute the clusters evenly
Describe Double arched cane system?
form of replacement cane pruning where the canes are bent into arches.
what are the advantages of Double arched cane system?
it improves evenness of growth and the fruitfulness of Glera and increases the ventilation of the canopy reducing the incidence of fungal disease
Where is Double arched cane system common?
hilly sites of Prosecco DOCG where high fruit quality is the main aim
What are the disadvantages of Double arched cane system
individual branches must be tied in every plant (adding to cost) and care must be taken to maintain an open canopy by repeated shoot thinning
Describe Guyot system
form of training used on the flatter land where after winter pruning it is possible to work with machine reducing costs.
How are grapes harvested in Prosecco DOC?
typically by machine due to the flatter land - leading to lower cost
What do high yields of grapes lead to in Prosecco DOC?
wines of lower concentration
Where do the best wines from Prosecco DOCG come from? why?
south facing hillside sites - lead to more concentration in final wine - reduced fertility (poorer soil and better drainage than on flatter sites) with greater day/night temp differences = slower growth
What does a longer season in Prosecco DOCG lead to for the grapes?
flavors develop more in the grapes and higher acidity
Explain yields isn Prosecco DOCG
lower than Prosecco, but still generous lead to higher concentration of flavors
What are ciglione
grassy banks that makeup terraces on the steepest parts of the Prosecco DOCG
How do ciglione add cost?
must be repaired and maintained
How must work be done on the steeper parts of the hills of the Prosecco DOCG area?
by hand (higher costs)
what fruit categories for Prosecco DOCG must be picked by hand
Cartizze, Rive, and sui lieviti
What choices does the winemaker have if the grapes have been picked by hand in terms of pressing
they can press whole bunches to preserve primary fruit flavors or destem and press
How long does fermentation for Prosecco wines last?
15-20 days for base wines
what temp are Prosecco base wines fermented at and why?
18C to preserve primary fruit
Do winemakers use Malolactic conversion for Prosecco winemaking?
no - it is blocked to preserve primary fruit flavor and retain acidity
How long does secondary fermentation take place for Prosecco wines and at what temp
1 month at 12-15C (to preserve primary fruit)
Why is there no requirement to age the wines for both Prosecco DOC and DOCG?
emphasis is on freshness
How long are Prosecco wines left on the lees?
short time - few few weeks
what happens after wines are left on the lees for Prosecco?
wines are chilled, filtered and bottled
Traditionally how have Prosecco wines been made in terms of dosage?
no dosage. no final adjustment to sweetness
What does the winemaker do to get the required level of CO2 (spumante or frizzante) and style of wine (Brut, Extra Dry, Dry)
calculates the amount of sugar needed as triage
when did Prosecco start to adjust sweetness when the wine is racked off the lees of 2nd fermentation?
2014
Why do some winemakers slow the 2nd fermentation process or age the wine on the lees for a few extra months? How do they slow fermentation?
to add complexity
lowering the temp
What is Charmat lungo
longer form of tank method conventionally regarded as keeping wine in contact with lees for at least 9 months.
How is contact with lees ensured for Charmat lungo
by agitating the lees with insert within the tank
What is tranquillo style Prosecco
tiny amount of still wine is made labelled Tranquillo
Describe Prosecco Col Fondo
traditional style typically producing lightly cloudy dry wines in a frizzante style. 2nd fermentation is in the bottle and wine is left undisgorged and is bone dry. finished with crown cap and contains sediment
What type of Prosecco can Prosecco Col Fondo be placed on the label of? what term is used on the label
both DOC and DOCG
rifermentazione in bottiglia (refermentation in the bottle)
How long is Prosecco Col Fondo aged?
short time
What are production levels of Prosecco Col Fondo?
tiny, but is fashionable like Pet Nat in some wine bars and specialist wine retailers
what is the traditional name for Prosecco Col Fondo? what were the requirements changed to in 2020
Col Fondo
sui lieviti (on the lees)
What Prosecco category must be made with min 85% Glera
all categories
what is the max yield for Prosecco DOC?
125 hl/ha
what is max yield for Prosecco DOCG?
94.5 hl/ha
Rive = 90hl/ha
Superior di Cartizze DOCG or Cartizze - 85 hl/ha
What is max yield for Asolo Prosecco DOCG
94.5 hl/ha (same as Prosecco DOCG
What are the min age requirements in Prosecco?
none, as the aim is to express the primary fruit in the wine
If Prosecco is labeled with vintage how much of the wine needs to be from that vintage
85%
What must the wine from Prosecco be sold in
the bottle
What is Rive?
a local word meaning slope of steep hill, typically followed by the name of a single commune or vineyard
Where do the grapes in Rive Prosecco need to be grown?
in one of the 43 Rive
What requirements are needed for Rive?
grapes picked by hand, harvested at lower maximum yields, and the vintage must be shown on the label.
What is Superiore di Cartizze DOCG or Cartizze DOCG?
historic delimited single vineyard of 108 ha located in Valdobbiadene with a requirement for lower yields and only made in spumante style
Why has Superiore di Cartizze DOCG by held as the highest quality area?
it has steep hillsides with vineyards on slopes with very good drainage which ends up producing wines with fuller body and normally a residual sugar level above Brut
How are the bottles labeled in Cartizze
without the word Prosecco - either Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG or Valdobbiadene Cartizze DOCG
What happened to production levels of Asolo in the time period between 2013-2020
rose from one million to 18.7 million - even though production levels are small in comparison to the other two denominations of Prosecco
How much of Italy’s sparkling wine production does Prosecco DOC account for?
about half
Which denomination of Prosecco has helped to lead Italy to become the world leader in the export of sparkling wine by volume?
Prosecco DOC
What has happened to production in Prosecco DOC between the years of 2011-2016
it has nearly doubled
what was the production of Prosecco DOC in 2020 and what was the break down
500 million bottles
80% sparkling (spumante) white wine
17% semi sparkling (frizzante)
3% rose sparkling
What is the average size of vineyard holding in Prosecco DOC?
2.5 ha
How many growers, producers of base wine, and makers of sparkling wines are there in Prosecco DOC
growers = 11,600
base wines = 1200
sparkling wines = 350
How many co-operatives account for the fruit grown in Prosecco DOC
just over half
how much wine in Prosecco DOC do private companies bottle
3/4
What is the most important area for the vol of production and for the sale of base wines to the bottling company in Prosecco DOC?
Treviso
When can Treviso appear on the bottle of Prosecco DOC wines?
as long as the fruit has been grown and the the entire production takes place in the Treviso province
How much wine is sold domestically in Prosecco DOC? where in italy is Prosecco mostly sold
22% by vol - and steadily growing
nearly 70% sold in supermarkets
How much wine is exported from Prosecco DOC?
78% which has tripled in the decade 2014
what are the main export markets for Prosecco DOC by consumption?
UK, USA and Germany (all accounting for 2/3 of all exports by vol)
how is Prosecco seen in large markets? How is it seen in other markets
a brand, an everyday luxury
alternative to the cheapest discounted Champagne or alternative to still, inexpensive and mid-priced rose
How is Prosecco used recently which has also contributed to its growth?
Prosecco cocktails
What two categories did Prosecco add in 2019? why?
Brut Nature and Extra Brut - aimed at those looking for drier styles
What category was introduced for Prosecco in 2020
Prosecco spumante rose
what is Prosecco spumante rose made from
Glera and up to 15% Pinot Noir
What are the regulations of Prosecco spumante rose
can only be made spumante
range of sweetness is limited from brut nature to extra dry
How can Prosecco not be sold
on tap
What is the most common style for Prosecco DOCG wines?
extra dry (around 60%)
followed by Brut (30%)
When was the extra brut (0-6 g/l) category introduced in Prosecco DOCG?
2019
How many companies in Prosecco DOCG account for 90% of production (1 million bottles per year)
32 large companies
About how much of the DOCG wine is sold in Italy
60%
About how much of the DOCG wines are exported
40%
What are the top three markets in sales and values for Prosecco DOCG
UK, Germany, Switzerland
Name two significant producers for Prosecco DOCG
Nino Franco and Bisol
What are the challenges of Prosecco DOCG
improve recognition of its potentially higher quality wine among consumers who see it as a generic brand and achieve higher prices for their wine.
