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Pink fizz not an option for DOCG Prosecco Superiore
Following news that DOC Prosecco may be authorising the production of pink versions of this highly successful Italian fizz, db has been told that this won’t happen within the smaller DOCG.
As made clear in an email sent to db this morning, the decision on the potential addition of a rosé for sparkling wines labelled ‘Prosecco’ only affects producers in the Prosecco DOC, which makes up more than 80% of the volume production of the Italian fizz.
However, the much smaller DOCG, specifically the are of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, which produces around 90 million bottles of Prosecco annually – compared to 440m bottles of DOC Prosecco – is not considering a move to authorise the creation of pink fizz.
In the missive, Renata Toninato, who manages the press relations for the Consorzio Tutela del Vino Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, noted, “Rosé Prosecco is an initiative discussed solely by the Consorzio of Prosecco DOC.”
Continuing, she explained that the DOCG of Conegliano Valdobbiadene was not looking at changing the laws of the region to allow pink Prosecco production, because it was not in keeping with the history of the area, nor the style of wine it is famous for.
“Our position is that Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG must represent the most authentic and terroir-based expression of Prosecco. For this reason we are not considering the introducing in the rules of our production a rosé,” she wrote.
Furthermore, she explained that this historic production area did not have the means to start making rosé, because it was almost entirely planted with the classic white grape of the region, Glera, and, as a result, there is very little of the red grape Pinot Noir for making red wines to blend with white to make a pink Prosecco.
“In our historic area for Prosecco production, Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the cultivation of Pinot Noir is nearly non-existent,” she commented, before stating, “Our native and traditional grape is Glera.”
Meanwhile, Prosecco DOC general manager Luca Giavi told db that any decision to authorise the production of pink Prosecco would not occur in time for the processing of grapes from this year’s vintage, stating that a rosé version of the famous Italian fizz would, if all goes according to plan, be produced from next year’s harvest.
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