Prosecco

Prosecco (pronounced pruh-seh-koh) is an Italian sparkling white wine.  

However, not all Italian sparkling wine can be called ‘Prosecco.’ It must be made using a specific method, and must come from northeastern Italy – more specifically, the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia wine regions.   

The most famous regions are Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG and Asolo-Prosecco DOCG.  

Prosecco is crafted with the local grape Glera, using the Charmat, or tank, method. After the initial fermentation, the wine is put into tanks. These are sealed, so that when the secondary fermentation occurs, the carbon dioxide cannot escape – and is trapped as bubbles in the wine.  

The Charmat method is ideal for producing fresh, fruity flavours (unlike the more complex savoury notes of Champagne). The wine is also bottled young and fresh – to preserve its fruity charm.

With it’s orchard fruit flavours, tingling bubbles and affordable price tag, Prosecco is a popular alternative to Champagne. Delicious on its own or in cocktails, such as an Aperol Spritz or a Bellini, Prosecco is perfect for celebrations or a casual glass with friends.  

Fresh and easy-drinking, Prosecco boasts a high acidity and typically has low to medium alcohol levels. Its classic fruity flavours are green apple, honeydew melon, pear and lemon.

Prosecco can be made in two styles – lightly sparkling (frizzante) or fully sparkling (spumante).

Prosecco comes in categories of sweetness too. It may help to familiarise yourself with these, as the Italian method for classifying wine sweetness can be confusing, with dry or demi-sec Prosecco ranked as the sweetest and Extra Brut as the least sweet.

• Extra Brut: very dry, with very little sweetness.
• Brut: dry, with little sweetness.
• Extra Dry: medium dry
• Dry: medium sweet
• Demi-Sec - the highest level of sweetness

While they can appear similar, Prosecco is fairly distinct from that other fizz favourite, Champagne.

These sparkling wines are made from entirely different grapes. While Champagne can be made from a mix of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier grapes, Prosecco is made using at least 85% Glera grapes – it’s one of the things that gives Prosecco its fresh, fruity character.

They also use very different winemaking methods. The frothy, delicate bubbles in Prosecco are a result of tank fermentation. This tank fermentation helps capture the grape’s fresh vibrancy and is a less time-consuming method, which accounts for Prosecco’s wallet-friendly price tag. Champagne, on the other hand, is made with traditional method fermentation in the bottle which produces different flavours and larger bubbles. It’s also more labour intensive and expensive.

Prosecco is a vibrant, highly aromatic and crisp wine with a prominent fruity character that typically includes:

• Honeydew melon
• Green apples
• Pear
• Peach

Prosecco is a versatile sparkling wine. Whether you’re raising a toast, kicking off a leisurely brunch or setting the mood before dinner, Prosecco is a fitting choice.

Its vibrant flavours and pronounced acidity make it a companion to a wide array of dishes, spanning from savoury starters to delectable desserts.

With Brut and Extra Brut Prosecco, consider pairing them with appetisers that have a bit of zest and depth. Think along the lines of cured meats, olives, nuts, cheeses and seafood.

If you’re sipping on a Dry or Extra Dry Prosecco, which tends to have a sweeter profile, consider pairing it with fruity and creamy desserts. Ideal pairings include light soufflé, rich crème brûlée, tangy fruit tarts and decadent cheesecake.

Discover more food and wine pairing tips

The date of your Prosecco wine delivery will depend on which option you choose at checkout:

Standard delivery is ideal if you’re buying for yourself or as a thank you gift. We’ll deliver your order within three working days.  

Next-day delivery is a great choice for last-minute gifts, while Named-day delivery is perfect for anniversaries, birthdays and special occasions. Do bear in mind that we don’t deliver on Sundays or Bank Holidays.  

Top tip: for the best experience, subscribe to our Unlimited service. You’ll make a one-off payment of £29.99 which entitles you to free delivery for a year – as often as you like – even on single bottles.

With a Laithwaites wine subscription, you’re can tell us what kind of wine you prefer, and how many bottles you’d like to receive on each delivery. You can then choose how often you’d like to receive your case – every four or eight weeks.

Our wines are covered by a no-quibble guarantee.  

That means, if, for whatever reason, a bottle fails to satisfy, we’ll arrange to collect it. You’ll have the option to either receive a full refund or replace the wine.   

It’s that simple.