A dry sparkling wine from the Glera grape in the Veneto hills, made in tanks rather than in the bottle. It is named after a village near Trieste, and the tank method keeps it fresh and floral where a bottle ferment would make it toasty.
It is a protected appellation, and the second fermentation happens in a sealed pressure vessel — industrial equipment, not glassware.
What goes into it
- Glera grapes
- yeast
- sugar for the second fermentation
How it is made
A base wine is made, then transferred to a sealed pressurised steel tank with sugar and yeast for a second fermentation lasting weeks — the Martinotti-Charmat method. The wine never rests on its lees for long, which is deliberate: it keeps the fresh pear and flower aromas the grape gives. It is then filtered and bottled under pressure.
How long it takes: weeks in the tank, then bottled and drunk young
How it is eaten
Cold as an aperitivo, in a spritz with Aperol and soda.
History
Named after a village near Trieste; the tank method developed by Federico Martinotti and Eugène Charmat keeps it fresh and floral.
Frequently asked questions
What is Prosecco?
Prosecco is a wine & spirit from Italy: dry sparkling Glera wine from the Veneto hills, made in tanks. Named after a village near Trieste; the tank method developed by Federico Martinotti and Eugène Charmat keeps it fresh and floral.
How is Prosecco made?
A base wine is made, then transferred to a sealed pressurised steel tank with sugar and yeast for a second fermentation lasting weeks — the Martinotti-Charmat method. The wine never rests on its lees for long, which is deliberate: it keeps the fresh pear and flower aromas the grape gives. It is then filtered and bottled under pressure. It takes weeks in the tank, then bottled and drunk young.
Can I make Prosecco at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a protected appellation, and the second fermentation happens in a sealed pressure vessel — industrial equipment, not glassware.
What goes into Prosecco?
Glera grapes, yeast, sugar for the second fermentation.
How is Prosecco eaten?
Cold as an aperitivo, in a spritz with Aperol and soda.
