Launch date for rosé Prosecco mooted

The prospect of a Prosecco rosé  is looking increasingly likely to become a reality, with some producers suggesting that January 1st 2021 might be a possible launch date for the pink fizz.  

The idea was first mooted a few years ago, with producers keen to cash in on the burgeoning popularity of both rose wine and Prosecco. Combining the two seemed like a sure fire winner.

“The route has been definitively taken by the Prosecco DOC Consortium and it is now only a matter of fine-tuning the specifications to achieve the integration of the rosé within the denomination,” Stefano Silenzi from Zonin told Harpers.   The rosé will be produced from Glera and Pinot Noir grapes – the latter expected to make up to 15% of the blend - and may be a ‘millesimé’ category, meaning that only vintage wines are permitted.  

“The market launch will be possible from 1st January following the harvest and therefore we expect a debut from 1st January 2021,” he said.   The proposed timeline was confirmed by Henkell Freixenet, owner of the Mionetto Prosecco and Freixenet Prosecco brands.

“We are expecting to harvest the grapes for our first rosé Prosecco in 2020, with a possible market launch in 2021,” said senior vice president Sandra Janetzki.   “In general, the Consortium has given its approval for a rosé Prosecco made from Glera and Pinot Noir grapes, but there are still some legal issues that need to be dealt with before the harvest and production of a rosé Prosecco can start,” she added.  

Bottega has enjoyed great success with its Bottega Rose Gold, a sparkling rosé made in Lombardy from Pinot Noir, and is now ready to start production of a rosé Prosecco.  

However, Sandro Bottega, owner and managing director at Bottega, is only too aware of the challenges they face in making a quality rosé sparkling wine. “Rosé wines, especially rosé sparkling wines, are difficult to produce,” he said.