What Does Millesimato Mean on Prosecco? Label Guide
4 min readPick up a bottle of Prosecco and the label can read like a code: DOC, Millesimato, Extra Dry, a year. Each word has a precise legal meaning, set out in the official Prosecco DOC production rules. Here is what they mean, and what to look for when you buy.
What does Millesimato mean on Prosecco?
Millesimato means the Prosecco is a vintage wine. Under the Prosecco DOC rules, a sparkling Prosecco can use the word Millesimato only if at least 85% of the wine comes from the stated year, and that year must then appear on the label. (Prosecco DOC production rules, Art. 7) For a white Prosecco it is optional. For a Prosecco Rosé it is compulsory: every Rosé must say Millesimato followed by its harvest year.
A Millesimato tells you the wine mostly comes from one harvest. It is not a separate quality grade, but it tells you the wine comes mostly from one year's grapes, and lets you check how young it is.
Is Extra Dry Prosecco sweeter than Brut?
Yes, which surprises most people. On sparkling wine, "dry" is a relative term. The sugar levels are set in EU law and Prosecco uses the same scale: (EU Regulation 2019/33, Annex III)
| Label term | Sugar per litre |
|---|---|
| Brut Nature | Under 3 g, with no sugar added after the second fermentation |
| Extra Brut | 0 to 6 g |
| Brut | Under 12 g |
| Extra Dry | 12 to 17 g |
| Dry | 17 to 32 g |
| Demi-Sec | 32 to 50 g |
So an Extra Dry sits between Brut and Dry: a touch of softness without tasting like a dessert wine. White Prosecco can be made in all six styles. Prosecco Rosé is allowed only from Brut Nature to Extra Dry. (Prosecco DOC rules, Art. 5)
What grape is Prosecco made from?
Glera. The rules require at least 85% Glera, with up to 15% from a short list of other grapes: Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Glera Lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero made as a white wine. (Prosecco DOC rules, Art. 2)
Is Prosecco Rosé real Prosecco?
Yes. The Prosecco DOC Consortium approved a Rosé version in 2020. It is made from Glera with 10 to 15% Pinot Nero, which is fermented on its skins to give the colour, and it must spend at least 60 days in the tank during its second fermentation. (Prosecco DOC Consortium) The consortium's technical sheet adds that Rosé exists only as a fully sparkling wine.
How is Prosecco made?
Sparkling Prosecco must get its bubbles from a natural second fermentation in a pressure tank, known in Italy as the Martinotti method. The rules describe it as the natural refermentation of the base wine "in grandi recipienti o autoclavi", in large tanks or autoclaves. (Prosecco DOC rules, Art. 9)
What is the difference between Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOCG?
Prosecco DOC covers a large area across nine provinces of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia: Belluno, Gorizia, Padova, Pordenone, Treviso, Trieste, Udine, Venezia and Vicenza. (Prosecco DOC rules, Art. 3) Prosecco Superiore DOCG comes from two smaller hill zones, Conegliano Valdobbiadene and Asolo. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene area covers 15 communes and has held DOCG status since 2009. (Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consortium)
What temperature should Prosecco be served at?
Cold, but not ice cold. The Prosecco DOC Consortium recommends serving it at 6 to 8°C. (Prosecco DOC Consortium)
Our Millesimato Proseccos from Dissegna
Both come from Azienda Agricola Dissegna in Lison-Pramaggiore, in eastern Veneto near the Adriatic. Each is a Millesimato Extra Dry at 11% alcohol, listed at 12 g of residual sugar per litre, the drier end of the Extra Dry range.
- Prosecco D.O.C. Millesimato Extra Dry 2025: floral and fruity, led by ripe apple, with a mineral, long finish. Its second fermentation in the autoclave lasts 90 days. $25.70
- Prosecco Rosé D.O.C. Millesimato Extra Dry 2025: Glera with Pinot Nero, with citrus, cherry and strawberry notes. $26.90
Browse the rest of our sparkling wines.