Pink, cold and only a few vintages old. Prosecco Rosé is the newest member of Italy's most famous sparkling family, and it arrived with a stricter rulebook than the white. Here is what is in the glass, what to put on the plate beside it, and how to pour it so it shows you everything.
What is Prosecco Rosé?
It is Prosecco DOC made pink with a measure of red Pinot Nero. The rules ask for 85 to 90% Glera, the classic Prosecco grape, and 10 to 15% Pinot Nero that has been made as a red wine before it goes into the blend (Gazzetta Ufficiale, 2020). The official description of the colour sounds better in Italian: rosa tenue più o meno intenso, brillante. A pale pink, softer or deeper, always bright, with a lasting foam.
How new is Prosecco Rosé?
Very. On 21 May 2020 the consortium that protects Prosecco DOC announced that Italy's National Wine Committee had approved a rosé (Consorzio Prosecco DOC). The new rules became law that August, and wine from the 2019 harvest was allowed in as a one-off, so the first bottles reached shelves in late 2020. About 20 million bottles of that first 2019 Rosé were made (Wine Industry Advisor). In a region with centuries of winemaking behind it, the pink one is the newcomer.
How is it different from white Prosecco?
Three rules set it apart. It must spend at least 60 days in the pressure tank where its bubbles form, while white Prosecco spumante has no minimum. It must always carry a vintage, with the word Millesimato and the year on the label. And it can only be made in the four drier styles, from Brut Nature to Extra Dry: the sweeter Dry and Demi-Sec are not allowed (Gazzetta Ufficiale, 2020). For the full label decoder, our Prosecco label guide walks through every word.
One more difference: Prosecco Rosé exists only as DOC. The hillside DOCG of Conegliano Valdobbiadene makes its Prosecco Superiore straw-yellow, with no rosé in its rules (Italian Wine Central).
What does Prosecco Rosé taste like?
Fresh first, fruit second. The Pinot Nero gives the colour, and the wine spends its 60 days resting on the yeast that made its bubbles (Consorzio Prosecco DOC). The bottle we import from Dissegna shows citrus, cherry, strawberry and flowers on the nose, with melon and apple behind and a dry, lively palate.
What do you eat with Prosecco Rosé?
The consortium keeps it simple: the Extra Dry style is "ideal for an aperitif and with dishes with delicate flavors" (Consorzio technical sheet). A few places to start:
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Raw seafood. A seafood crudo, red prawns or oysters, the consortium's own suggestion for a Rosé Brut (Consorzio Prosecco DOC).
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Canapés and vegetables. Small bites, also from the consortium.
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Salumi and anything fried. Prosciutto di San Daniele, sopressa, fritto misto and arancini are classic Prosecco company (Wine Folly).
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Risotto. The consortium even cooks with it, in a risotto with grapes and Prosecco DOC Rosé.
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Pizza with shellfish. Our own pick for the Dissegna bottle, along with delicate starters and fish.
How should you serve Prosecco Rosé?
Cold, but not icy: 6 to 8°C, or 42 to 46°F (Consorzio technical sheet). And skip the flute. The consortium recommends a fairly large tulip-shaped glass, because a flute "does not allow its aroma to fully emerge" (Consorzio Prosecco DOC). A white wine glass does the job beautifully.
Our Prosecco Rosé at Solo Cru
Ours comes from the Dissegna family farm at Loncon di Annone Veneto, on the flat plain a few kilometres from the Venetian coast. Grandfather Antonio founded it in 1925, and the whole production has been organic since 2006. Their story, and every bottle they make, is on our Dissegna page.
Looking for more bubbles? The rest of our Italian sparkling wines are chosen the same way: one producer, one story at a time. Delivery is $25 flat anywhere in Ontario, and free on orders over $300.
