Asda launches £5 ‘ProGrigio’ fizz

UK supermarket Asda has launched a £5 bottle of fizz made from Glera, the grape used to make Prosecco, and Pinot Grigio, aptly named ‘ProGrigio’.

Launched this month, the fizz is made from Glera and Pinot Grigio grapes grown in the “Italian Mediterranean” and described as a “fresh, floral and aromatic wine balanced by citrus fruits, white peaches and minerality”.

On its latest sparkling addition, Asda wine buyer Jack Clayton said the idea was to keep it “very much Italian” with the same taste profile as Prosecco.

“Prosecco has been hugely successful and as demand increases, pricing, in turn, has gone up, so everyone has been looking at what the next sparkling wine could be,” said Clayton. “Progrigio is tapping into that.”

Sales of sparkling wine continue to grow globally, and have risen by 80% in the UK in the past five years, according to figures released by HM Revenue and Customs last year. The vast majority of that volume has been driven by Prosecco.

“The reason why Prosecco is so successful is because it’s very easy drinking, and appeals to the mass market,” added Clayton. “Champagne can be dryer, but Prosecco is a bit sweeter. This [Progrigio] has got that and the easy drinking appeal that Pinot Grigio has.”

This entry-level sparkler is made in the same way as Prosecco, through tank fermentation, and retails at just £5 a bottle. Asda currently sells Prosecco for between £6 and £11.

“Prosecco has become this big brand, it’s a go-to and sometimes people don’t look past that,” said Clayton. “This is not Prosecco but actually it’s a good alternative to Italian sparkling and it should be more affordable.”

Its launch follows a warning from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) of imminent price hikes in the cost of Champagne and Prosecco, due to the combined impact of Brexit, inflation and alcohol duty.

Research carried out by the WSTA concluded that the cost of a bottle of Prosecco could go up by 59 pence in the UK next year, and Champagne by as much as a £1.