What is the difference between Prosecco and Champagne?
PROZ-ze-co — three syllables, double 'zz'. Stress on first syllable.
When discussing Italian sparkling wines — a common question that reveals important distinctions about production method.
Champagne uses secondary fermentation in the bottle ('méthode champenoise'). Prosecco uses the Charmat method — secondary fermentation in a pressurised tank ('autoclave'). Champagne tends toward biscuit and yeast aromas; Prosecco is fresher, fruitier, more aromatic.
Il Prosecco è meglio giovane?
Is Prosecco better when young?
Yes — Prosecco is designed for freshness and should be drunk within 2–3 years
Il Franciacorta è diverso dal Prosecco?
Is Franciacorta different from Prosecco?
Franciacorta uses the Champagne method — closer to Champagne in complexity and ageing potential
Avete un Prosecco Col Fondo?
Do you have a Col Fondo Prosecco?
'Col Fondo' = naturally refermented in bottle — the ancestral method, increasingly popular
Franciacorta, from Lombardy near Lake Iseo, uses the méthode champenoise and has been granted DOCG status — the first Italian sparkling wine to achieve this. Its producers (Ca' del Bosco, Bellavista, Guido Berlucchi) invest heavily in quality and complexity. It is Italy's answer to Champagne, though less internationally known.