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Back in May, we received the exciting news that the prosecco DOC consortium (the governing body of Italy’s favourite fizz), were finally allowing the production of rosé prosecco! After what feels like a long wait, it’s finally available in the UK.
Here’s all you need to know on this year’s must-have fizz...
What is rosé prosecco?
Predominantly made from the glera grape, native to north-east Italy, this pink prosecco gets its rosy hue from adding 10-15 per cent pinot nero (aka, pinot noir). The end result is a pretty pink wine with fine, persistent bubbles. Just like the prosecco you already know and love, you can expect apples and blossom on the nose, but also red berries. Fresh, elegant and super-versatile, we expect this new style to be a hit.
The strict regulations set out by the "Consorzio di Tutela" demand the wine must come from one single harvest to produce a vintage wine, 60 days of slow fermentation to increase complexity, and Pinot Noir is the only red grape variety allowed to give the delicate pink colour and red fruits aroma.
Is prosecco different to champagne?
In short, yes. Prosecco must contain a minimum of 85 per cent glera grapes, while Champagne uses different grapes and can only be labelled as such if it comes from the Champagne region in France.
It is also made in a completely different way to Champagne. To get those lovely bubbles, both undergo a secondary fermentation, but for prosecco this happens in steel tanks, as opposed to the “traditional method” in bottle. As a result, Champagne tends to pick up more biscuity notes and prosecco has a fresher appeal.
Is prosecco rosé sweet?
We’ve been conditioned to believe that pale pink wines will be drier than those with more robust hues, but that is simply not the case. In fact, the consortium has instructed that the new prosecco DOC rosé colour should be an “intense shining pink with a persistent foam”.
Rather than be led by colour, these are the terms to look out for:
- Brut nature — also known as brut zero, ultra brut, or dosage zéro. Anything labelled as such will be bone dry, with just 0-3 grams of residual sugar per litre.
- Brut — getting sweeter, but with 0-12g of residual sugar, this is still classed as dry.
- Extra dry — also known as extra sec or extra seco. This contains more sugar than brut styles and will taste medium dry or off-dry. Don’t be put off, a little sugar can lead to a beautifully balanced glass of fizz, with plenty of appeal.
All of the styles in our roundup are classified as brut or extra dry.
Food pairings
Like regular prosecco, this sociable fizz is made for pairing with canapés before the main event. It’s extremely versatile though, working well with hard cheeses like parmesan, cured meat and sushi.
GHI TIP: Prosecco is best served chilled (between 6-8C), and is best consumed immediately to enjoy the vibrant bubbles.
Our wine expert Stacey Smith picks her favourite bottles to try over the festive season and beyond.
Translating as festive, joyous and high-spirited, La Gioiosa is here to kick off the festive season. Everything you’d expect rosé prosecco to be, this opens up with strawberries and peach, has a touch of pomegranate on the palate and is full of fizz. A fantastic full-flavoured introduction to the rosy world of pink prosecco — we’ll be serving ours with canapés. Cheers!
Claiming to be the first brand to bottle the new prosecco DOC rosé, Villa Sandi has long been making wines using pinot nero — and now finally, we can give it the title it deserves. Fresh with lively bubbles, we love the aromatic pomegranate notes and oh-so-delicate rose petals on the nose. Beautifully balanced, with good acidity, this elegant drop would make a cracking aperitif or try it with chunks of parmesan.
Bottega has replaced its iconic metallic vessels with this elegant new-look bottle, fitting of the sophisticated fizz within. With fine bubbles, this is the sort of wine you could drink all day. There’s raspberry on the nose, and similarly to the brand’s award-winning gold version, apple and peach flavours, with well-integrated citrus. For the prosecco-lover in your life, there really is no better bottle to gift and for slightly larger gatherings, it’s also available as a magnum.
Prosecco is Marks & Spencer’s most popular fizz, with 5.4 million bottles sold each year. Working with the same family-run winery who make the brand’s traditional prosecco, here you can expect subtle strawberries, raspberries and a faint twist of tart passionfruit. At a tenner a bottle, this mid-range prosecco from M&S is sure to be a hit. As well as canapés, we’d also be tempted to serve with strawberry-based desserts.
Joining the line-up of Taste the Difference products, this special sparkler is dominated by juicy peach. Fun, fruity and full-flavoured, it’s a delicious way to kick off the festivities, and we’ll also be packing one in our picnic hamper come summer. Try pairing with grilled peaches, charcuterie and mozzarella.
The bottle may look like it’s aimed at millennials, but this brand has been producing prosecco since 1881. This latest chapter builds on those traditions, adding 12 percent pinot noir to the mix. Imparting a touch of wild blackberries, this is nicely balanced, making it a great base to experiment with cocktails. For a failsafe food pairing, try serving alongside simply cooked white fish.
Aldi can always be relied on for a great-value drop of wine and even at this purse-friendly price, there’s a decent amount of complexity. Extremely drinkable, it’s classified as extra dry, but is really well-balanced so you barely notice any sweetness. A medley of summer fruits, with a surprising touch of passionfruit that kept us going back for more.
Like its award-winning big sister Fillipo Sansovino, there’s a little apple and peach on the nose in this off-dry style. Any strawberry is very delicate, making it a good neutral base from which to experiment with cocktails. And at this price, you don’t need an excuse to open it.
Lidl Allini Pink Prosecco
Enjoyable and easy-drinking, this smooth, light pink fizz is subtle on the red berries and peach aroma but super-refreshing. With small, fine bubbles and a pleasant finish, we reckon this delicate drop will be a hit with guests.
In store only, £6.49, Lidl
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
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