December
26, 2008
Spumanti:
"Bollicine Tricolore" for the Holidays
Italian Wine
News
Italia del Nord
December 26th
At the close of year producers of Italian spumanti can count
their blessings: despite the economic upturn, 2008 turned
out to be quite the year for sparklers Made in Italy,
with reported exports reaching 1.4 billion Euro—equal
to 163 million bottles and a 10% growth from the previous
year.
Champagne producers may be feeling the tight economic times,
with a significant drop in sales in classic markets such
as UK and US, but the value and variety available from Italy
are turning more wine enthusiasts to the tricolored bubbles,
with the most celebrated choices ranging from Franciacorta
DOCG, Oltrepò Pavese DOC, Trento DOC, and the aromatic
selections of Asti DOCG and Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene
DOC.
Asti DOCG (Piemonte)
80 million bottles produced annually make Asti spumante
a record-breaking wine. Made with Moscato grapes with a
pleasing aroma, Asti is a favorite in the international
scene, with 60 million bottles exported abroad—the
most exports among the Italian bubble category. The Asti
production zone extends over 10,000 hectares of vineyards
located within 53 communes of the Alessandria, Asti and
Cuneo provinces, with 6,100 producers registered to the
Produttori Moscato d’Asti association and a Consorzio
di Tutela (consortium for the protection) founded in
1932 with 144 member wineries.
Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOC (Veneto)
The district of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, which includes
the prestigious Cartizze area, was instituted in 2003 and
covers about 5,000 hectares of planted vines extending over
the province of Treviso, representing 2,960 producers, 185
labels and 55 million bottles produced annually—a
quarter of which exported abroad. The success and popularity
of Prosecco in recent years on the global market is expected
to continue to grow thanks to the product unrivaled value
and quality, which has created a predicament for Prosecco
producers, as other countries have began to invest in the
varietal in the hope of getting in on the profits. The eminent
risk has provoked action from the producers to protect the
name of the varietal and its area of origin, which includes
neighboring Friuli
Venezia-Guilia, requesting recognition of an official
Prosecco DOC
in 2009.
Franciacorta DOCG and Oltrepò Pavese DOC (Lombardia)
The Oltrepò Pavese production zone extends over 13,400
hectare of vineyards—3,000 of which are used to cultivate
Pinot Nero, second in size in the world after Burgundy.
In comparison, the smaller but unique production area of
Franciacorta cultivates Chardonnay and today accounts for
2,200 hectares of vines extending over the province of Brescia,
dedicated to the production of sparklers made in the metodo
classico. This year the annual production reached a
record of over 9 million bottles, a 16% increase from 2007.
Trento DOC (Trentino-Alto
Adige)
The Trentino area boasts 40% of Italy’s annual production
of sparkling white and rosè wines made in the metodo
classico, this year reaching almost 8 million bottles. The
production zone extends over the province of Trento and
includes more than seventy communes. The popular choice
of Italians for spumanti in the classic method, the largest
and most recognizable producers are Cavit and Cantine Ferrari.
Spumanti At-A-Glance (in million bottles)
Annual production:
299 total, of which 22 made in the metodo classico, 277
in the metodo Charmat
National consumption:
153.1 total, of which 72% in the holiday season (December
10-January 6)
Global consumption:
146.3 total exported in 25 countries—63.1 Asti, 44
Prosecco, 38 Spumanti d’Italia
[Source: Forum Spumanti d’Italia]
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