National Prosecco Day

The story

Prosecco is a sparkling white wine from northeastern Italy, made mostly from the Glera grape in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. Its name comes from the village of Prosecco near Trieste, where wine has been made since Roman times. The finest bottles come from the steep hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, an area named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.

Unlike Champagne, which gets its bubbles from a second fermentation inside each bottle, most Prosecco is made with the Charmat or tank method. The second fermentation happens in large pressurized steel tanks, which preserves the grape's fresh aromas of green apple, pear, white peach, and acacia flowers and keeps prices approachable. Styles range from Brut, the driest, to Extra Dry and Dry, which are slightly sweeter despite their names, along with gently fizzy frizzante versions.

Prosecco is the base of the Bellini, created at Harry's Bar in Venice in the 1940s, and of the Aperol Spritz, and it has become one of the world's best-selling sparkling wines. It pairs nicely with appetizers, seafood, and light pasta dishes.

On National Prosecco Day, pop a bottle, mix a Bellini or spritz, and toast with friends.