By Cliff Rames © 2013
Not that it’s a very complex issue. It’s not really. It’s fairly straightforward. But decide for yourself, if you haven’t already. And if you want to learn more, check out my previous post called Are You Pro Prošek? 12 Reasons Why You Should Be.
And for those of you who are (like me) short on time and attention, I have compiled this handy, easy-to-reference and share “Wine-o-graph” chart.
Cut and diced like this, it seems clearer than ever that Prošek and Prosecco are distinctly different products. No one has anything to fear from them being allowed to peacefully co-exist in the European Union or elsewhere.
So feel free to print it out, put it in your wallet, hang it on the wall, share it with a friend, or shout it from the mountaintops. In the meantime, I wish Croatia and its Prošek producers all the best in their efforts to save Prošek and continue its legacy as the traditional dessert wine of Croatia.
| Prošek vs. Prosecco – At a Glance | ||
| Prošek | Prosecco | |
| History | First written mention: 1556 | First written mention: 1754 |
| Pronunciation | “Pro-shek” | “Proh-sec-coh” |
| Grapes Varieties | White: bogdanuša, dubrovačka malvasija, grk, malvazija istarska, maraština, plavac mali, prč (aka parč), pošip, tarpinka, trbljan, vugava, žlahtina. Red: babić, lasina, plavina, plavac mali. | Glera; sometimes bianchetta, charnonnay, perera, pinot noir, verdiso |
| Area of Production | The Adriatic coast and the islands of Dalmatia, Croatia | Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Conegliano, and Valdobbiadene regions in northeast Italy |
| Number of Registered Producers | 27 | Over 3,000 |
| Production Amounts | 15,000 liters, or 30,000 bottles of 500 ml; most wineries produce less than 5,000 bottles each | 225,000,000 liters, or 300 million 750 ml bottles |
| Winemaking | Passito method. Hand harvested, sun dried grapes; 2-5 days skin maceration; fermentation lasting up to a year or more; mandatory 1 year of aging in wood | Charmat method; secondary fermentation in autoclaves; bottling under pressure; no wood aging. |
| Wine Style | Still. Sweet with high residual sugar levels (70-150 g/l) | Sparkling. Dry to semi-sweet with residual sugar levels ranging from 0 – 35 g/l |
| Color | Dark golden, amber, neon orange, maple syrup, dark brown | Straw to medium yellow |
| Commercial Bottle Shape | 375-500 ml bottles of various shapes | 750 ml sparkling wine bottle with mushroon cork and metal cage |
| Serving Glass | Dessert wine glass | Champagne flute |
| Availability on Export Markets | Nearly non-existent; very limited distribution in export markets | Widespread. In U.S.: 19.2 million bottles imported in 2012 |
| Price | $50 for 500 ml | $10-$20 for 750 ml |
Uncorking Croatia 