June 04: It is now final that Pink Prosecco DOC will be allowed to be sold in the market from 2019 harvest with 15% Pinot Noir and 85% Glera allowed in the blend, but may be available around next Valentine’s Day though some may release for Christmas, as it helps sell an extra 40-50 million bottles a year, writes Subhash Arora who feels that some of the increase would be offset by existing producers discontinuing their rose Spumante in the process
As already disclosed by delWine in September last year an internal decision seems to have been taken last year but was kept on the back burner for a year. Many producers like Zonin 1821 had the inclination and were well prepared for the announcement.
Some producers might rush in to make the new variant available for Christmas sales but quality Pink Prosecco might not be ready to fly off the shelves by then and hence Valentine’s Day would be a better target for overseas market; in theory it could be available by December end. According to DOC laws, Pink Prosecco must spend 60 days in a pressurised tank for the second fermentation to stabilise the colour, so it may not be easy to get it ready in time for Christmas.
Given the popularity of the pink version and the existing demand for Rose Spumante sold anyway as Prosecco by many importers, the Pink Prosecco DOC will be well accepted by the market. Consorzio DOCG has already announced that it will not allow the Rose version in its appellation. It will also help that the colours approved for the new wine will resemble the popular Provence Rose colour.
The rules of the DOC have been changed to allow the addition of a proportion of red wine to the white, before the pink blend undergoes a second fermentation in a sealed vessel to produce sparkling rosé – the standard method used to make Prosecco.
There has been a reason for the Consortium following the rigid rule earlier and allowing only Brut or extra-dry Prosecco. Some traditionalists believe that the concept of pink Prosecco may be seen as a dilution of the regional brand which has been built over a long period because of the simplicity and singularity of the product. Most people agree however, that the commercial potential of pink Prosecco outweighs the possible risk to the image of Prosecco which is now the highest selling sparkling wine in the world, overtaking first Cava and then Champagne in sales. Last year production flirted with around 600 million bottles of Prosecco DOC and DOCG and the producers are already eying the one- billion mark in not unforeseeable future.
It may be noted that the choice of Pinot Noir has been made on the grounds of its potential to make higher quality but delicate red wines for blending. Some are disappointed that the Consorzio does not allow the use of Italian red grapes, especially the native Raboso which is native to the eastern Veneto but not authorised even in the production of Prosecco DOC.
As already mentioned in the following Article India and a few other countries have been drinking ‘Pink Prosecco’ for the last many years. It is time to switch to the Real McCoy. It ought to taste better too, thanks to Pinot Noir. We are awaiting anxiously.
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Authentic Pink Prosecco may be a Reality Soon
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Subhash Arora
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