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The best wines and stylistic trends from The Prosecco Masters 2021

Prosecco has taken the world by storm, thanks to its easy-drinking qualities. And now, with rosé expressions having been given the green light, there is more choice than ever for the world’s fizz lovers. We reveal the stylistic trends and best wines from The Prosecco Masters 2021.

So you work in marketing, and you’re considering how to create a new category of drinks? What’s the best approach? And where should one draw inspiration? Prosecco is the ideal place to look for ideas. That’s because it has managed, in a relatively short space of time, to become a 500 million bottle a year business, taking sparkling wine mainstream, well beyond it traditional association with celebratory times. As a result, almost any occasion is ripe for sipping this light, aromatic Italian fizz, which is now by far the largest sparkling wine type in the world in terms of volumes sold.

If you are involved in marketing, then you’ll want to consider every aspect of its success, starting with the four p’s of product, price, place and promotion. And Prosecco scores well on all counts, with its fairly low cost, broad distribution, combined with positive Italian associations and its easy-to-pronounce memorable name.

But, when it comes to lasting success, it’s the product that’s key – both in terms of style and quality. And it’s this aspect that the annual Prosecco Masters seeks to consider, providing, in essence, a health check on the category.

When it comes to this year’s results, it’s clear that the base standard is high for Prosecco. Even at the cheapest end of the category, the wines were clean, refreshing, with fresh, ripe fruit. This is key to Prosecco’s performance, as it means that the customer isn’t disappointed.

Not only that, but with wine taste and style fairly similar at the lower end of the price spectrum, it’s a drink that offers a predictable, consistent experience. It’s not one of those categories where there are swings in sweetness levels, differences in texture, or variations in fruit expression.

While this relates to the region: Prosecco uses, in essence, one grape to create one style of wine, it’s also connected to technology – the region’s producers employ state-of-the-art winemaking equipment to create pristine fizz, which tends to be bottled to order. As proof of this, among almost 200 samples in 2021’s Prosecco Masters, there were fewer than a handful of wines where I detected a touch of tired fruit.

This is a wine style where the freshness relates to a number of factors, including the fizz and, the bright acidity, but also, notably, the just-picked taste of the fruit that’s used to make the product. Be it crisp apple, ripe pear, or sweet peach, with Prosecco there’s nothing faded in the taste.

It’s a pristine drinking experience. And, combine that with its aromatic, distinctive nature, and you have something pleasing and easy to identify. Such traits have also been key to the remarkable performance of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in this century.

But that’s not to suggest there aren’t differences in Prosecco. One reason for variation relates to sourcing, in particular, whether the grapes were grown in the hillier historic areas of the region, the DOCGs of Valdobbiadene, Conegliano and Asolo, as opposed to the generally flatter plains of this part of Italy, which are used for the much larger Prosecco DOC. Generally, the DOCG offerings are a touch more expensive, and are deemed to be better quality, but is this always the case?

From both parts of Prosecco, there were outstanding samples, suggesting that top sites in the DOC can rival those of the DOCG.

However, in my experience from this year’s competition, and previous ones, the DOCG sparkling wines tend to have a purer, more defined fruit expression than the DOC Proseccos at similar prices. The former also tend to have a bit less sugar too, requiring the fruit in DOCG wines to be faultless and fully ripe, while allowing the taste of such fine grapes to shine, without the masking effect that can arise from perceptible sweetness.

In other words, if you like combination of ripe peach and crisp apple, then good DOCG Prosecco will provide it. And if you are content with a simpler sweet pear sensation, then DOC will deliver it.

As for a further general point, when it comes to low-sugar Prosecco, the DOCG of Asolo appears an especially good place to go, as the fruit character from this lesser-known and smaller area tends to be richer, and riper, making it in need of less sweetness.

Furthermore, if you want something with a distinctive personality, a Prosecco with greater complexity, then seek out the Rive classification, which is used for the best sub-regions of the DOCGs, where hillside vineyards tend to yield sparkling wines with intensity, and layers of flavour.

The go-to producer for these styles is Andreola, which manages to capture Prosecco at its best, with its orchard fruits, citrus zest, and floral aromatics, even a chalky character, more commonly associated with Champagne or English sparkling wine.

For richness, sweetness, power, and complexity, then Cartizze is the pinnacle of Prosecco – but it’s pricy. Nevertheless, it presents the ultimate expression of tank-method fizz. And should, in my view, be richly sweet, and refreshingly racy – a style perfected by Bisol1542.

The subject of sweetness levels is important for Prosecco. That’s because some of the drink’s appeal lies in the fact that it’s not too dry, or firm, but soft and creamy-textured. And for that, a fairly high level of sugar is required, around 13g/l-15g/l being a level that provides richness without tasting saccharine.

But, as noted, lower levels, including Extra Brut (sub-6g/l), can be palatable if the fruit is fully ripe. Nevertheless, such a style can surprise your average Prosecco drinker, who is used to Prosecco’s gentle, pleasing sweetness.

Finally, what about rosé? As the newly allowed sub-category of DOC Prosecco – bear in mind that DOCG regions have not authorised this colour variant – there is much excitement about its arrival. While this is justified on the basis that pink fizz is popular, and so too in Prosecco, in terms of the product, Prosecco rosato is not a markedly different proposition in terms of taste.

Made by adding 10-15% wine from Pinot Noir to the white wine base for making Prosecco, the character of the wine is similar to its long-standing blanco variant: the Prosecco Rosés I tasted combined plenty of the usual peach and pear fruit you find in blanco Prosecco, but with a hint of crushed strawberry, and sometimes a touch of bubblegum.

One thing I did notice related to colour: of the some 40 Prosecco rosés I sampled, all of them were pretty much the same shade of pale salmon pink. It seems producers are not going to risk anything deeper in terms of colour appearance. That’s doubtless because the pale hue of Provencal rosé has influenced the world of pink wine producers, sparkling ones included, especially the commercially-savvy ones in Prosecco.

Read on for the list of all the medal-winning wines in this year’s Prosecco Masters, as well as further information about the competition. 

And you can click here to read my read top 10 Proseccos for all styles and occasions, compiled using the highlights from this the 2021 competition. 

Prosecco DOC

Winery Name of wine Vint. Medal
Under £10
Fratelli Gancia & C. Gancia Prosecco DOC Brut NV Silver
Enoitalia Soffio NV Silver
Enoitalia Galanti NV Silver
Enoitalia Ca’Belli NV Silver
Casa Vinicola Bosco Malera Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry NV Silver
Valdo Spumante Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV Silver
Castello di Roncade Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 2020 Silver
Antonio Facchin e Figli Prosecco Spumante DOC Treviso Extra Dry Millesimato 2019 Bronze
Bosco Viticultori Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry NV Bronze
Freixenet Copestick I Heart Prosecco NV Bronze
£10-£15
Masottina Prosecco DOC Extra Brut NV Gold
Cantina Colli del Soligo Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut 2020 Gold
Casa Gheller Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut NV Gold
Cantina Sociale Montelliana
e dei Colli Asolani
Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry NV Gold
Villa Sandi Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut Il Fresco NV Gold
Freixenet Copestick Freixenet Prosecco NV Gold
Masottina Prosecco DOC Brut Treviso NV Silver
Val D’Oca Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut Oro NV Silver
Freixenet Copestick Mionetto DOC (Prestige Range) NV Silver
Cavit Lunetta Brut DOC Prosecco NV Silver
Viticoltori Ponte Prosecco Spumante DOC Treviso Extra Dry NV Silver
Enoitalia VOGA Italia NV Silver
Enoitalia Pendium Prosecco NV Silver
Fantinel Fantinel Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV Silver
Moletto Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 2020 Silver
Piccini Venetian Dress NV Silver
Bacio della Luna Prosecco Superiore DOC Extra Dry 2020 Silver
La Marca Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 2020 Silver
Paladin Prosecco Dry Tondo NV Silver
Ruggeri Argeo NV Bronze
Cantina Colli del Soligo Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry 2020 Bronze
La Marca Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut 2020 Bronze
Contarini Vini e Spumanti Liquid Diamond Prosecco DOC 2020 Bronze
£15-£20
Bosco del Merlo Prosecco DOC Brut Millesimato 2020 Gold
Barone Ritter de Záhony Prosecco DOC Brut 2019 Gold
Cielo e Terra Cielo Prosecco Spumante DOC NV Gold
Pradio Vineyards Passaparola Prosecco Spumante DOC NV Gold
Cantine Maschio Prosecco DOC Treviso Spumante Extra Dry NV Gold
Cantine Maschio Riunite Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry NV Gold
Sacchetto Fili Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV Gold
Paladin Prosecco Extra Dry Millesimato 2020 Gold
Fattoria Conca d’Oro
di Francesco Cimetta
Spumante Prosecco Cuvée Oro Millesimato
Extra Dry DOC Treviso
2020 Gold
I Magredi Ca’ Lisetta Prosecco DOC Brut NV Silver
Fantinel One & Only Prosecco DOC Brut 2019 Silver
Viticoltori Ponte Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry Biologico NV Silver
Foss Marai Della Vite Prosecco Treviso DOC NV Silver
Cielo e Terra Bericanto Prosecco Spumante NV Silver
Cielo e Terra I Castelli Prosecco Spumante DOC NV Silver
I Magredi Ca’Lisetta Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV Silver
Cantine Maschio Maschio dei Cavalieri Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry NV Silver
Fiol Fiol Prosecco DOC NV Silver
Cielo e Terra Casa Defrà Prosecco Spumante DOC NV Bronze
£20-£30
Botter P.Lex Prosecco DOC Organic NV Master
Sensi Vigne e Vini 18K Prosecco Brut 2020 Master
Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC 2020 Gold
Tosti1820 Tosti1820 Prosecco DOC Extra Dry NV Gold
£30-£50
La Pria Società Agricola La Pria Brut Prosecco DOC 2018 Master

Prosecco DOCG

Winery Name of wine Vint. Medal
Under £10
Conte Collalto San Salvatore Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut
Conegliano Valdobbiadene
2020 Silver
Conte Collalto GAIO Prosecco Superiore Conegliano
Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry
2020 Silver
£10-£15
Bisol1542 Jeio Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut NV Gold
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
Dirupo Valdobbiadene DOCG Spumante Brut 2019 Gold
Colesel Spumanti Prato Scuro 2020 Silver
Freixenet Copestick Mionetto Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore
DOCG (Prestige Range)
NV Silver
Cantina Colli del Soligo Col de Mez Extra Dry Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore DOCG
2020 Silver
Bacio della Luna Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry 2020 Silver
Valdo Spumante Oro Puro Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG NV Silver
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
Dirupo Valdobbiadene DOCG Spumante Extra Dry 2020 Silver
La Marca Millage Prosecco DOCG Conegliano
Valdobbiadene Extra Dry
2020 Silver
£15-£20
Villa Sandi Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Brut Millesimato
2020 Gold
Villa Sandi Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Biodiversity NV Gold
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
Mas De Fer Rive di Soligo Valdobbiadene DOCG
Spumante Extra Dry
2019 Gold
Col Vetoraz Spumanti Valdobbiadene DOCG Extra Dry 2020 Gold
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
Vigne dei Piai Rive di Rolle Valdobbiadene o
DOCG Spumante Dry Millesimat
2019 Gold
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
26° Primo Rive di Col San Martino DOCG
Spumante Extra Brut
2019 Silver
Cantina Sociale Montelliana
e dei Colli Asolani
Asolo Prosecco Superiore Extra Brut NV Silver
Azienda Agricola Andreola
di Pola Stefano
Col del Forno Rive di Refrontolo Valdobbiadene
DOCG Spumante Brut
2019 Silver
Col Vetoraz Spumanti Valdobbiadene DOCG Brut 2019 Silver
Ruggeri Quartese Prosecco Valdobbiadene Superiore DOCG Brut NV Silver
Società Agricola Colli Asolani The Emissary Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut 2019 Silver
Cantina Sociale Montelliana
e dei Colli Asolani
57 Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry NV Silver
Cantina Sociale Montelliana
e dei Colli Asolani
iAsolo Prosecco Superiore Millesimato Extra Dry 2020 Silver
Casa Gheller Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Dry NV Silver
£20-£30
Bisol1542 Relio Rive di Guia Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore DOCG Brut
2019 Master
Fattoria Conca d’Oro
di Francesco Cimetta
Spumante Prosecco Superiore Millesimato
Extra Dry DOCG Conegliano-Valdobbiadene
2020 Master
Masottina Rive di Ogliano Brut – Conegliano Valdobbiadene
Prosecco Superiore DOCG
2019 Gold
Masottina Rive di Ogliano Extra Dry – Conegliano
Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
2019 Gold
Val D’Oca Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG
Millesimato Extra Dry
2020 Gold
Prapian Prapian Col De L’Utia DOCG Valdobbiadene
Extra Dry Biologico
NV Gold
Foss Marai Della Vite Prosecco Superiore DOCG NV Gold
Giusti Wine Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Extra Brut 2020 Silver
Giusti Wine Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut 2020 Silver
Cantine Maschio Maschio dei Cavalieri Valdobbiadene Prosecco
Superiore DOCG
2019 Silver
Bisol1542 Crede Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut 2020 Bronze
£30-£50
San Vettor Società Agricola Asolo Prosecco Superiore Spumante Extra Dry Obledo 2020 Gold

Prosecco DOC Rosé

Winery Name of wine Vint. Medal
Under £10
Valdo Spumante Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut 2020 Silver
Antonio Facchin e Figli Prosecco Rosé Spumante DOC Treviso Millesimato Brut 2019 Bronze
Enoitalia Galanti Prosecco Rosé 2020 Bronze
Freixenet Copestick I Heart Prosecco Rosé NV Bronze
Fratelli Gancia & C. Gancia Prosecco DOC Rosé 2020 Bronze
£10-£15
Zonin Prosecco Rose 1821 Brut Millesimato DOC 2019 Gold
Castello di Roncade Patriarca Prosecco Doc Treviso Rosé
Extra-Dry Millesimato
2019 Gold
Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato Brut 2020 Silver
Bottega Il Vino dei Poeti Prosecco DOC Rosé 2019 Silver
Enoitalia Ca’ Belli Prosecco Rosé 2020 Silver
Astoria Velére Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020 Silver
Freixenet Copestick Mionetto Prosecco Rosé DOC Millesimato
(Prestige Range)
NV Silver
Piccini Venetian Dress Prosecco Rosè 2020 Silver
Cavit Lunetta Prosecco Rosé DOC Millesimato 2020 Silver
Contarini Vini e Spumanti Liquid Diamond Prosecco Rosé 2020 Silver
Zonin Kylie Minogue Prosecco Rosé NV Bronze
Val D’Oca Prosecco DOC Treviso Rosé Millesimato 2020 Bronze
Moletto Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato Extra Dry 2019 Bronze
Bacio della Luna Prosecco Spumante Rosé Millesimato DOC Extra Dry 2020 Bronze
Viticoltori Ponte Prosecco Spumante DOC Rosé Brut Millesimato 2019 Bronze
£15-£20
Bisol1542 Jeio Prosecco Rosé DOC 2020 Gold
Cantine Maschio Prosecco DOC Rosé Extra Dry Millesimato 2020 Gold
I Magredi Ca’ Lisetta Prosecco DOC Brut Rosé 2019 Silver
Bosco del Merlo Prosecco DOC Brut Rosé Millesimato 2020 Silver
Cantina Sociale Montelliana
e dei Colli Asolani
Prosecco Rosé DOC Brut Millesimato 2020 Silver
Paladin Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut Millesimato 2020 Bronze
£20-£30
Bottega Pink Gold 2019 Gold
Fiol Fiol Prosecco DOC Rosé 2020 Gold
Sensi Vigne e Vini Prosecco Rosé DOC Brut 2020 Bronze

 

Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG

Winery Name of wine Vint. Medal
£20-£30
Azienda Agricola
Andreola di Pola Stefano
Superiore di Cartizze Valdobbiadene DOCG
Spumante Dry
2020 Gold
£30-£50
Bisol1542 Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Dry 2019 Master
Col Vetoraz Spumanti Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG 2020 Gold
Colesel Spumanti Cartizze Dry 2020 Bronze

About the competition

The Global Prosecco Masters is a competition created and run by the drinks business, and forms part of its successful Masters series for noble grape varieties, such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; major wine styles, from sparkling to rosé; and famous regions including Rioja, Champagne and Tuscany. The competition is exclusively for Prosecco. The top wines were awarded Gold, Silver or Bronze medals according to their result, and those expressions that stood out as being outstanding in their field received the ultimate accolade – the title of Prosecco Master. This report features the medal winners only.

Please visit The Global Masters website for more information, or, to enter future competitions please call: +44 (0) 20 7803 2420 or email Sophie at: sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com

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