Prosecco: how much alcohol?
Prosecco is a sparkling wine much-loved both in the UK and in the rest of the world: excellent to be enjoyed with meals, it is one of the favourite bubbles at parties, and without doubt, it is a delicious wine that very often appears in glasses in restaurants and bars all over the country. But what is the alcohol content of prosecco? Let’s find out together!
Prosecco: one of the most famous Italian wines
Prosecco is undoubtedly among the Italian wines most famous in the world and over time: not only a few months ago the Prosecco Hills were named UNESCO World Heritage Site, but this type of wine was already celebrated at the time of the ancient Romans by Pliny in his Naturalis Historia and consumed by Livia, wife of Emperor Augustus.
Born as IGT, then DOC and in some cases even DOCG (Montello and Colli Asolani, Conegliano Valdobbiadene), Prosecco is a wine produced in the northern regions of Italy, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia (want to know more? Find out about northern Italian wines, region by region) . The most famous prosecco is that of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, which can be dry, ultra-dry and brut.
Over the years, prosecco has seen constant growth both in production and consumption, but especially in export: in 2018 the data presented at Vinitaly speak clearly, with value growth of + 3.8% and production growth of +16 % in the last ten years. 2018 was also the year of new international markets for prosecco, such as China, Russia, Australia and New Zealand.
Prosecco is now the most exported Italian wine, and in 2014 it exceeded champagne in the number of bottles sold.
How much alcohol does prosecco contain?
Returning to our initial question about prosecco alcohol content: the answer is to be searched both in the specification of the type of wine and in its production.
By definition, prosecco’s alcohol content cannot be less than 9% and can extend up to 11%, depending on the type:
- Prosecco frizzante: at least 9%;
- Prosecco spumante: at least 11%;
- classic Prosecco: 10.5%.
This is the range of alcohol values within which the prosecco must fall by definition.
On a more technical level, the alcohol values in the wine widely depend on its production: it is, in fact, the techniques implemented after the harvest that determine the final level of alcohol. In particular, the fermentation of the grapes is of fundamental importance.
Prosecco: a precious wine
So in conclusion, the alcohol content of prosecco can change from 9% to 11% by definition and this figure depends on the type of wine and production methods. What never changes seems to be the passion that the whole world has for this wine: a product with very ancient roots, today protected by a DOC, with a truly priceless cultural value.
Want to try something extraordinary? Do not miss our outstanding biodynamic Prosecco by Alla Costiera!