Prosecco is a sparkling wine from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, made mostly from the Glera grape and fermented a second time in a steel tank rather than the bottle. That method keeps it fresh, floral and meant for drinking young. This guide covers what the tiers mean, why Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut, and where the wine is worth seeking out.
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The grape, and a piece of legal history
Prosecco is made predominantly from Glera. Until 2009 the grape itself was called Prosecco — which meant anyone, anywhere, could plant it and put the word on a label.
The renaming was deliberate. By calling the grape Glera and reserving Prosecco for a defined geographic area, Italy converted a plant name into a protected denomination of origin. It is the reason Prosecco from outside the Veneto and Friuli cannot legally be called Prosecco today.
DOC, DOCG and Rive: what the tiers actually mean
| Tier | Area | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Prosecco DOC | Wide, across Veneto + Friuli | Volume tier. Most supermarket Prosecco |
| Asolo Prosecco DOCG | Small hillside zone | Higher standard, less well known |
| Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG | Steep hills, hand-harvested | The serious tier |
| Rive | 43 named single subzones within the DOCG | Site-specific, like a cru |
| Superiore di Cartizze | 107 ha in Valdobbiadene | The grand cru |
The DOCG hills are steep enough that machines cannot work them — the harvest is done by hand, sometimes with ropes. That cost is what separates a €7 bottle from a €25 one, and the difference in the glass is texture and length rather than simply “more bubbles”.
Brut, Extra Dry, Dry — the confusing part
Sparkling-wine sweetness terms are historical, not logical. From driest to sweetest:
| Term | Residual sugar |
|---|---|
| Brut Nature | 0–3 g/l |
| Extra Brut | 0–6 g/l |
| Brut | 0–12 g/l |
| Extra Dry | 12–17 g/l |
| Dry | 17–32 g/l |
So Extra Dry is sweeter than Brut. Extra Dry is the traditional Prosecco style and still the one many Italians prefer, because a touch of sugar balances Glera’s naturally high acidity. Cartizze is usually made in the Dry style.
Prosecco and Champagne are not competing at the same thing
The difference is method, and it is fundamental.
Champagne ferments a second time inside the bottle and rests on spent yeast for years. That autolysis is what produces the bready, nutty, toasty character.
Prosecco ferments a second time in a sealed steel tank — the Charmat, or Martinotti, method — and is bottled young. Nothing is lost to yeast character, so what you taste is the grape: pear, green apple, white flowers, sometimes a touch of almond.
Neither method is superior. They are aiming at opposite outcomes. The practical consequence is that Prosecco is not a wine to cellar — buy it young and drink it young.
Where Prosecco sits in the Veneto
Prosecco is the region’s international calling card, but it is one of several distinct wines made within a short radius. North of Verona the Valpolicella denominations produce the dried-grape Amarone; east of the city, Soave makes mineral whites on volcanic soil; and on Lake Garda, Bardolino and Lugana sit on opposite shores.
Prosecco’s own heartland lies further east, in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene — about 90 minutes to two hours from Verona, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2019.
How to taste it properly
Serve cold but not frozen, around 6–8 °C, in a white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute — the flute traps aromatics that Prosecco relies on. Do not decant, and do not save it: most Prosecco is at its best within two years of the vintage.
The single most instructive tasting is a supermarket DOC beside a Rive or Cartizze DOCG. The gap is far wider than the price difference suggests, and it is the fastest way to understand what the denomination is actually protecting.
Most serious wine lists in Verona carry good DOCG Prosecco by the glass — an easier experiment than the drive east. For the wider picture of how Italy’s regions and classifications fit together, see the Italian wine guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Prosecco made from?
Prosecco is made predominantly from Glera, a white grape native to the Veneto. Until 2009 the grape itself was called Prosecco, which meant anyone anywhere could grow it and use the name. The renaming to Glera was a deliberate legal move: it tied the word Prosecco to a place rather than a plant, protecting it as a denomination of origin. A small proportion of other permitted varieties may be blended in, but Glera dominates.
What is the difference between Prosecco DOC and DOCG?
DOC Prosecco covers a large area across the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia and is the volume tier — most supermarket Prosecco is DOC. DOCG applies to two much smaller hillside zones: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore and Asolo Prosecco. The DOCG hills are steep enough that harvesting is done by hand, yields are lower, and the wines show noticeably more texture and length. If you want to understand what Prosecco can do, the difference between a supermarket DOC and a Rive-level DOCG is the comparison that shows it.
Why is Extra Dry Prosecco sweeter than Brut?
Because the labelling terms are historical rather than logical. In sparkling wine, sweetness runs from Brut Nature at the driest through Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, Dry and Demi-Sec. Brut carries 0 to 12 grams of residual sugar per litre; Extra Dry carries 12 to 17; Dry carries 17 to 32 and is the sweetest of the three commonly seen. Extra Dry is the traditional Prosecco style and the one many Italians still prefer, because the touch of sugar balances Glera's high acidity.
How is Prosecco different from Champagne?
The method, above all. Champagne undergoes its second fermentation inside the bottle and rests on the spent yeast for years, which produces the bready, nutty character it is known for. Prosecco ferments a second time in a sealed steel tank — the Charmat or Martinotti method — and is bottled young. That preserves the fresh pear, green apple and white-flower aromatics of the Glera grape. Neither is a lesser technique; they are aiming at opposite results, and Prosecco is meant to be drunk young rather than aged.
What is Cartizze?
Cartizze is a 107-hectare hillside within Valdobbiadene, universally treated as Prosecco's grand cru and among the most expensive agricultural land in Italy. The steep, south-facing slopes and a particular mix of sandstone and clay produce a richer, more textured wine, traditionally made in the slightly sweeter Dry style. If you see Superiore di Cartizze on a label, it is the top of the pyramid.
Where can I taste Prosecco near Verona?
The DOCG heartland around Conegliano and Valdobbiadene is roughly 90 minutes to two hours east of Verona, which makes it a long but feasible day trip, and it is genuinely beautiful — the hills were made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2019. Closer to Verona, most serious wine lists in the city carry good DOCG Prosecco by the glass, which is the easy way to taste the difference against the supermarket version without the drive.
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