The vineyards around the town of Conegliano, in Italy’s Veneto, are among Europe’s most picturesque. In summer, the steep hills are carpeted with vines producing Glera grapes for Prosecco: this is the home of Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG. It looks idyllic, yet the challenges of sustainability here are real – prompting the authorities of both the DOCG and the bigger Prosecco DOC to act.
Read more...
Prosecco has long made life easy for wine drinkers: it hits the right price point, rolls off the tongue and is effortlessly quaffable. Between 2018 and 2019, exports of both DOC and DOCG styles to the UK doubled, and its popularity seemed all but untouchable. Yet, having stolen much of Cava’s thunder, sales of Italy’s flagship sparkler have reportedly stalled in the independent sector. But is Prosecco merely another casualty of the global downturn – or is something more dramatic unfolding?
Read more...
The UK’s thirst for Italian wine has proven to be an enduring affair, with the category demonstrating a healthy resilience in a tough market. Among the world’s top seven wine countries, Italy is the only one in growth in terms of hectares under vine, with the country now the largest producer of wine ahead of France and Spain, according to the OIV (International Organisation of Vine & Wine), with exports worth €8.1bn last year – an increase of 5.6% on 2023.
Read more...
Global wine consumption is on a downward spiral thanks to a perfect storm of negative influences, from economic factors and health concerns to the moderate drinking trend and changing consumption patterns across occasions. According to the IWSR’s 2024 report, What’s Driving Wine’s Structural Decline, per capita consumption of wine in the UK peaked in 2009 and has been in decline since, “except for a small temporary boost during Covid. On a per-adult basis, the UK now drinks about 14% less wine than it did in 2000.”
Read more...
Published: 19 November, 2024
Jason Millar finds there is a likely solution to the confusion around the identity of DOCG wines.
Read more...
Published: 15 October, 2024
These sparklers may still be a small sector, but Jason Millar says it’s time to call attention to them.
Read more...
Published: 13 October, 2023
After an absence of well over 10 years, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG staged a press and trade tasting in London this week.
Read more...
Published: 28 September, 2023
Amid a buoyant and still rising sparkling wine category, Harpers invited a top panel to assess the positioning and full potential of Italian sparkling wine and Trentodoc Metodo Classico wines.
Read more...
Prosecco continues to build momentum in the UK and power onwards on a global scale. Lucy Shaw looks at the trends that continue to revitalise this seemingly invincible category.
Read more...
Published: 06 February, 2023
Everyone loves a glass of fizz and nowhere is this evidenced more than in the rise and rise of English sparkling. But it’s not just English bubbly that is buoying sales of wine. As Harpers recently reported, analyst firm IRI’s most recent FMCG Demand Signals report confirmed that across six major European markets, sparkling wine sales remain in robust shape, set against a 4% off-trade decline in wines, beers and spirits.
Read more...
Published: 29 November, 2022
Here’s a quiz question for the work Christmas party: what have Amazon, the cost of bottling wine and Ofgem got in common?
Read more...
Published: 24 November, 2022
Affordable and trendy, Italy’s famous sparkler has been in the fizz category’s driving seat for some time.
James Lawrence reports
Read more...
Published: 12 August, 2022
The old adage goes, ‘spare no expense’ for your big wedding day. However, in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, those tying the knot are seeking cheaper alternatives for their lavish ceremonies.
Read more...
Published: 04 August, 2022
The Consorzio di Tutela Prosecco DOC is now a recognised trademark in New Zealand following a bilateral agreement with the European Trademark office.
Read more...
Published: 14 March, 2022
Jack Rabbit, the leading on-trade wine brand from Accolade Wines, is launching a new 20cl, single-serve version of its increasingly popular Prosecco 75cl format.
Read more...
Published: 12 January, 2022
David Kermode delves into the world of Italian sparklers as the category covers new ground, from the march of rosé Prosecco to the increasingly popular high-quality fizzes of Franciacorta and Trento.
Read more...
Published: 07 January, 2022
SPAR has become the first UK grocer to market a range of private label vegan wines, including a vegan Prosecco and SPAR Vine & Bloom rosé.
Read more...
Published: 06 January, 2022
The sparkling wine category was the clear winner of the Christmas retail bonanza, with both merchants and analysts reporting bumper sales.
Read more...
Published: 26 November, 2021
After years of intense lobbying by producers, the Prosecco Consortium finally allowed blended sparkling wine styles to be bottled under the 'Prosecco DOC Rosé' designation in 2020. Exports began in November last year, although there have been reports of a Pinot Noir shortage in 2021. Nevertheless, the category has got off to a flying start, with buoyant sales and an enthusiastic consumer reception. But how sustainable is this growth, and will it affect sales of 'ordinary' Prosecco?
Read more...
Published: 18 November, 2021
Leading agricultural scientist Diego Tomasi has been appointed as the new director of the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG.
Read more...