The production area of Prosecco DOC has been regulated with the 2009 production conditions regulation and covers the provinces of Belluno, Padua, Treviso, Venice and Vicenza. Mainly obtained from the traditional Glera grape, it may also use a maximum of 15% of other varieties such as Verdiso, Bianchetta trevigiana, Perera, Glera lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot bianco, Pinot grigio and Pinot nero vinified as a white wine. The three final versions of Prosecco commonly found are still, spumante (gently sparkling) and frizzante (fizzy).
The regulation formalised the traditional cultivation already in use with single and double espalier-trained vine spacing and a minimum number of 2,300 vine stocks per hectare. Expansive planting in pergola or ray formation and any forced practice is expressly forbidden. As for other DOC wines, the maximum yield permitted is 18 tonnes of grapes per hectare of specialised vineyard with a minimum natural alcohol per volume value of 9.50% vol. for still wine and 9% vol. for spumante and frizzante.
Available in the variations brut, extra dry, dry and demisec, the Prosecco spumante is exclusively obtained through natural autoclave fermentation, while frizzante can also be fermented in the bottle. The rigorous procedures ensures the quality of the product of traditional wine that achieved worldwide prestige for Veneto and Italy, appreciated just as much and even more than other more acclaimed wines.
