I’d rather be drinking Prosecco than Champagne is a familiar comment among the world’s consumers these days. Sparkling wine made from the Italian Prosecco grape variety has had a truly amazing growth in popularity.
In my early days as a shop keeper I wanted to stock everything. Even so I found little to excite my palate among the Italian range of importers. There was a market for Spumante, a bit for Lambrusco, while Chianti in wicker baskets and odd shaped bottles – I recall one modelled as a rifle – trickled out. Whites from Friuli in northern Italy, like Pinot Grigio, sold though never made it into staff tastings as frankly they were shockers. As for Prosecco, I could not see the point.
I trace many changes in the world of wine to the embrace of wine by the vast US market. Around 2000 US consumers started to take an interest in Prosecco. The packaging was good, the origin had the old-world authentic village image, and was far cheaper than Champagne. The lack of not much happening on the palate was disguised with ample sweetness.
Back in Australia, the Italian migrant Otto Dal Zotto, decided to plant cuttings of the variety Prosecco in 1999 and released a sparkling wine, made in the champagne style, in 2004 and as is our custom used the varietal name.
By 2009 sales of Prosecco to the US and Germany were rising and with prosperity spreading in the region the EU acted to preserve the geographical identity as the region of Prosecco so other countries growing this variety were to change to the co-varietal name Glera. A foundation trade policy of the Europeans is to preserve the GI or geographical identity of agricultural products. Since they hold all the cards there is not much we can do. As well who can begrudge the northern Italians their moment in the sun as wealthy consumers demand more and are prepared to pay since many see little difference to Champagne.
Should you disagree, Li a bar manager in Beijing, explains it all; ‘Prosecco definitely has potential. Champagne leads the market because it broke into China first and prosecco may need one or two years, but its quality is no less than champagne’s. It just has to attract an audience.’
I’m a believer in the advertising view that all publicity is good publicity and have no doubt the buying public has worked out the difference between local Prosecco and Italian Prosecco.
To Otto Dal Zotto, all will be well, and the end is not nigh.
We not have a Prosecco on the Gug Wines list but i you fancy bubbles a littl on the sweeter style we can recommend our Philip Schaffer Juliana Pink Moscato NV. $10.99 a bottle.
