What does prosecco mean?
Prosecco is a sparkling wine best known for its light body, fresh fruit-and-floral character, and relatively soft bubbles. It is made predominantly from the Glera grape and is named after the town of Prosecco in northeastern Italy. Italian production is regulated under the Prosecco DOC designation, which also permits qualifying wines made outside Italy, notably as Prosecco DOC. The style commonly includes Prosecco, with slightly sweeter versions traditionally called Spumante or Extra Dry. Prosecco is frequently served as an aperitif or celebration drink and is also used in mixed drinks. Although it is sometimes treated as a lower-priced alternative to Champagne, the two are legally distinct: Champagne is a protected French name associated with its own region and traditional methods. Prosecco has its own production rules, permitted varieties, flavor profile, and cultural identity, making it useful to recognize as a significant sparkling-wine category in its own right.
nounProsecco is a light, typically dry sparkling wine made predominantly from the Glera grape. Its production is governed by rules in the Prosecco DOC area of northeastern Italy, and similar wines are also produced elsewhere under protected names such as Prosecco DOC.
- A light sparkling wine produced in northeastern Italy, especially in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions, and now also made elsewhere under the protected Prosecco DOC designation.
"We shared a chilled bottle of prosecco while waiting for the main course."
"The restaurant served prosecco with a platter of antipasti."
"For a celebration, they served prosecco DOC from a small Italian producer."
The plural is uncommon because prosecco is normally treated as a mass noun, but individual glasses or bottles may be counted informally.
"They ordered six proseccos for the toast."
Prosecco takes its name from a town rather than its defining grape: Glera.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does prosecco come from?
The word comes from Prosecco, a town in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy near the historic center of prosecco production. It was adopted as the name of the local sparkling wine and later became a protected designation. The name's connection to the town is certain, although deriving the town's name itself would require a separate and less certain account of that place-name.
How prosecco is actually used
Prosecco is usually used as a mass noun when referring to the wine in general, although singular bottles or glasses may be counted informally. The term is legally protected in several markets. It encompasses styles ranging from very dry to sweeter, so it should not automatically be equated with Champagne in sweetness, pressure, or production method.
Easily confused with prosecco
Champagne is a protected French sparkling wine associated with the Champagne region, whereas prosecco is an Italian protected sparkling-wine designation and is not a champagne.