prosecco wine

Contrary to what some wine drinkers believe, Prosecco is not simply the cheap alternative to Champagne. In fact, there are many high-quality Proseccos that cost more than some Champagnes. So, what’s the difference between the two wines? To find out, you’ll want to learn more about Prosecco wine.

What Is Prosecco Wine?

Just as Champagne is named for the region in France from which it hails, so too is Prosecco wine named after its place of origin in Northeastern Italy. The sparkling wine is produced with Prosecco (glera) grapes that were originally brought to Italy from Slovenia. 

Prosecco gets its characteristic effervescence from the process winemakers use to produce it. Known as the Charmat Method, winemakers produce a base white wine, then mix yeast and sugar with the base in a pressure-resistant tank to create a second fermentation. 

The entire process typically only takes one to six weeks which is a considerably shorter period of time than the traditional method used to make Champagne. Because the Charmat Method is less labor intensive and faster than the traditional method, Prosecco costs less to produce than Champagne. 

Is Prosecco Dry or Sweet?

Prosecco wine is available in six levels of sweetness: 

  • Brut Nature Prosecco would be characterized as bone dry with up to 3 grams/liter of residual sugar.
  • Extra Brut is very dry and contains up to 6 grams/liter of residual sugar. 
  • Brut contains as much as 12 grams/liter of residual sugar and would be described as dry to the taste.
  • Extra Dry has just a hint of sweetness with 12 to 17 grams/liter of residual sugar. 
  • Dry Prosecco is medium sweet with 17 to 32 grams/liter of residual sugar. 
  • Demi-Sec Prosecco is sweet with 32 to 50 grams/liter of residual sugar.

An Extra Dry Prosecco features flavors of citrus and lemongrass while a Brut Prosecco has tasting notes of green apple, white peach, and honeydew. Most Proseccos contain aromatic floral notes which adds to the overall experience of drinking the wine.

What Is the Best Way To Serve Prosecco?

The wine should always be served chilled in a Champagne flute or tulip glass. Prosecco is lovely on its own or as an ingredient in a fizzy cocktail.

Raspberry Martini Fizz

Ingredients:

12 ounces Martini Rosso

5 ounces gin

4 teaspoons icing sugar

24 frozen raspberries

2 bottles of chilled Prosecco

Instructions:

Mix the Martini and gin together in a pitcher and store in the fridge. Prepare chilled Champagne flutes by spooning 1/2 teaspoon of icing sugar into the glasses. Pour the Martini mixture into the glasses, stir to mix in sugar, and add frozen raspberries to each glass. Top with Prosecco and serve.

What’s the Difference Between Prosecco and Champagne?

Many wine drinkers will debate which wine is superior—Prosecco or Champagne? However, it’s important to remember that when you compare the two, you’re really comparing apples to oranges.

In addition to the varied methods used to make both wines, there are other differences between Prosecco and Champagne: 

  • The taste of Prosecco is clean and simple, while Champagne can often contain more complex notes of brioche or almonds. 
  • Champagne is made with a mix of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, while Prosecco is made using only Prosecco grapes. 
  • Finally, even though you can find a Prosecco at a premium price, generally, Prosecco is more affordable than Champagne.

Obviously, Prosecco and Champagne are distinctly different wines, and thus, the determination of which is superior is clearly a matter of taste.