National Prosecco Day Date in the current year: August 13, 2024

Some people use the terms sparkling wine and Champagne interchangeably because Champagne is the most famous sparkling wine. However, only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France using a specific method can be referred to as Champagne. Other sparkling wines have their own names, and some of them, just like Champagne, can only be produced in specific regions.

Prosecco, for example, is one of the sparkling wines made in Italy. It originated in Veneto, a wine-producing region in Northeast Italy, and was named after a village near the city of Trieste. Prosecco is classified as DOC (controlled destination of origin) or DOCG (controlled and guaranteed destination of origin), which means that all Prosecco wines must be produced in Veneto and satisfy a set quality standard.

Prosecco is produced from the Glera grape (known as Prosecco until 2009) that originated in the Karst region of Slovenia. It is a neutral grape variety perfect for sparkling wines. The production rules for Processo allow to add up to 15% of other permitted grape varieties while making the wine. For example, Prosecco Rosé is made by blending Glera with Pinot Noir.

Unlike Champagne, Prosecco is produced using a different method. In the so-called traditional method, which is used to produce Champagne, the secondary fermentation takes place in bottles. Prosecco is produced using the Charmat method (referred to as the Martinotti method in Italy), where the secondary fermentation occurs in large stainless still tanks. However, the rules do not forbid the use of the traditional method to produce Prosecco; most producers use the Charmat-Martinotti method simply because it is less expensive.

Generally, Prosecco is a dry wine. It can have varying degrees of sweetness, but they still fall within the “dry” range: Brut, Extra Dry, or Dry. Prosecco is usually served chilled and unmixed as aperitif. This wine pairs well with soft, creamy cheeses, cured meats, white meat, seafood, light desserts, and moderately spicy Asian dishes.

Prosecco can also be used in cocktails. The most popular Prosecco cocktails are Bellini and Spritz Veneziano; Prosecco can also be used in almost any mixed drink that calls for sparkling wine.

National Prosecco Day was founded by Riondo Prosecco in 2016 to promote its sparkling wines in the United States. The date of August 13 was chosen because a hot summer day is the perfect time to enjoy some cold, bubbly, and refreshingly dry Prosecco or a delicious Prosecco cocktail.

You can observe National Prosecco Day by sharing a bottle of Prosecco with friends, drinking a couple of Bellinis or Mimosas with lunch, going out to your favorite bar for Prosecco cocktails or throwing a cocktail party at home. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media using the hashtag #NationalProseccoDay.