Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/776532
january/february 2017 / the tasting panel / 7 Sparkling Prosecco as we know it today is a much more recent development and was made possible around the turn of the last century with the adop- tion of Piedmontese inventor Federico Martinotti's secondary fermentation process in pressurized tanks by the Conegliano enology school, and sub- sequently, of Eugene Charmat's adapted autoclave device for sparkling wine production. The "Charmat method, "the Italian method" and "the Martinotti method" are all terms used to refer to bulk spar- kling wine production. By the 1950s, the popularity of Prosecco had grown to the point that in 1962 the Consorzio Tutela Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco was founded to help regulate production and quality. America's love affair with the Bellini cocktail in the 1970s saw Prosecco further skyrocket, and in 2009, with worldwide sales at an all-time high, a brand new Prosecco DOC encompassing two regions (Friuli and Veneto) was created to define the production area and enforce high quality standards, while also ensuring that no other region could legally use the name Prosecco. At the same time, the original, historic Prosecco area located in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene was upgraded to DOCG status. Finally, a third appel- lation with very limited production, Colli Asolani Prosecco DOCG, was also created surrounding the town of Asolo. During this process, the name of the main varietal used, once simply called Prosecco, went back to being called Glera. By mandate, Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG must contain a minimum of 85 percent Glera. Other permitted varieties include Verdiso, Perera and Bianchetta Trevigiana, but the highly aromatic Glera is the region's star variety. The Growing Region Made up of 15 townships that lie between Conegliano on its eastern edge and Valdobbiadene to the west, the winemaking region of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is located about an hour north of Venice in the steep hills that form the heart of the greater Prosecco DOC area. A land moderated by cooling Adriatic breezes, it is an ideal place for growing the native grapes that make bright, fresh wines with lively acidity like Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Vineyards too steep for machinery make it necessary for most grapes to be hand-harvested, a happy problem and the first step in making sure the fruit is top quality. 17,770 acres of vines man- aged by more than 3,000 growers supply the 178 wineries that make classified Prosecco Superiore DOCG, and overall production is 83 million bottles of which approximately 80 million, or 95 percent, are sparkling, or Spumante. Two other styles of Prosecco little known outside the region make up the other five percent: Frizzante (Semi-Sparkling) and Tranquillo (Still). Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG makes a compelling alternative to much more expensive sparkling wines, while still offering that "sense of place" and Old World winemak- ing tradition. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONSORZIO TUTELA PROSECCO CONEGLIANO VALDOBBIADENE Vineyards too steep for machinery make it necessary for most grapes to be hand-harvested. "Informing wine buyers about the difference between Prosecco DOC and Prosecco Superiore DOCG has been the top priority."