Michael Goldstein Jul 25, 2021

5 Best Rosé Proseccos for A Festive Summer Toast

After what feels like a long wait, Prosecco Rosé is finally available in the UK.

Not so long ago, we received the exciting news that the Prosecco DOC Consortium, the governing body of Italy’s favourite fizz, is finally allowing the production of Rosé Prosecco! After what feels like a long wait, Prosecco Rosé is finally available in the UK.

Here’s what you need to know about this year’s must-have, Rosé fizz.

What Is Rosé Prosecco?

Not all sparkling Rosé wines can be called Prosecco. The consortium that protects the Prosecco DOC appellations demands that the Prosecco Rosé wine follows specific guidelines. 

Pink Prosecco gets its delicate rosy hue from adding up to 15 per cent Pinot Nero grapes (also known as Pinot Noir) to the exclusive Glera Prosecco grape that is native to north-east Italy. 

The result is a lovely pink Prosecco Rosé sparkling wine with aromas of apples, blossom and red berries accompanied by delicate, persistent bubbles. We hope this new Prosecco wine style is a smash hit worldwide because Rosé Prosecco is fresh, elegant, and super-versatile to drink.

Understanding More About Pink Prosecco

Could pink prosecco be the new way to go at parties? With increasing numbers of people turning away from traditional champagne and choosing to drink pink fizz instead, one might think so.

"I’m a firm believer that Prosecco is far better than champagne any day of the week," said Michelle Holmes, an office worker from London. “For me, it has always been white wine for everyday drinking and red wine for special occasions. But now I can have a pink prosecco every day at a lower cost - it's delicious! Get in! Pink Prosecco is here to stay."

Pink sparkling wines have been around since the 1980s but only recently gained popularity with their bubbles. One major reason for the recent interest in pink prosecco is their affordability, which has caught on with both younger and older generations.

"Pink drinks have always been a big deal at my parties - let's face it, Champagne isn't cheap," continued Michelle. “But we used to go through bottles of Lambrini like there was no tomorrow! Now I can get Prosecco for less than £10 a bottle and often free from promotions at local bars – so that’s two birds hit with one stone."

Is Rose Prosecco Different To Champagne?

Yes. Prosecco sparkling wine is exclusive to the Veneto region of Northern Italy. The closest Prosecco making town is called Treviso, about 15 miles (24 km) north of Venice.

Prosecco is made exclusively from "Glera" grapes. The Prosecco wine making method is called the "Tank Method." A standard 5 oz glass serving of Extra-Dry Prosecco has up to 98 calories, 2.6 carbohydrates and 11% alcohol by volume.

Not Pinot Noir

Champagne wine is exclusive to the Champagne region of France, which is 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Paris. Champagne sparkling wine is primarily a Chardonnay, Pinot, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Nero grape variety. Champagne uses a winemaking method called the "traditional method." Like Prosecco wine, a standard 5 oz glass serving of Brut Champagne has up to 98 calories, 1.8 g of carbohydrates and 12% alcohol by volume.

The difference in taste between Prosecco and Champagne tends to be that Champagne picks up more biscuity notes while Prosecco has a fresher appeal on the palate.

Is Prosecco Rosé Sweet?

The Prosecco consortium has instructed that the new Prosecco DOC Rosé colour should be an "intense shining pink with a persistent foam". Some think that pale pink wines are drier than those with more robust pink hues. Rather than be influenced by the wild strawberry colour, these are the terms to look out for:

Brut Nature — known as brut zero, ultra brut, or dosage zéro. Anything labelled as such should be a very dry wine, with only 0-3 grams of residual sugar per litre. 

Brut — sweeter, this is still classed as a dry wine, but with 0-12g of residual sugar.

Extra dry — also referred to as "Extra Sec" or "Extra Seco". This sparkling wine contains more sugar than brut styles and tastes medium-dry or off-dry. The extra sugar leads to a beautifully balanced glass of fizz with plenty of taste appeal.

Food Pairings - these are only our serving suggestions

Like regular extra dry Prosecco, this highly affable sparkling wines are excellent value. The pair well with canapés before the main event. It's incredibly versatile, though, working well with hard cheeses like parmesan, cured meat and sushi.

Professional Serving Tip

Prosecco is best served chilled (between 6-8C). Consume immediately to enjoy the vibrant bubbles.

 

• 1

• WINNER: LUXURY PROSECCO

• Bella Principessa Prosecco Rosé DOC

• bellaprincipessa.co.uk
  £19.99
• Shop Now
• Bella Principessa is a superior tasting, impeccably well presented, Prosecco Rosé that you can proudly serve to family and friends. It's everything you'd expect a Prosecco Rosé to be. This spectacular Prosecco Rosé DOC is delicious, light, vibrant and revitalising with persistent, gentle bubbles that last. It opens up with a delightfully refreshing, rich, dry, crisp, silky smooth mineral palette with ethereal aromas of red apple, pink grapefruit and honeysuckle. The Bella Principessa Prosecco Rosé DOC is a fantastic full-flavoured introduction to the enchanting world of Pink Prosecco — we will serve ours with canapés. Cheers!

• 2

• RUNNER-UP: PREMIUM PROSECCO

• Signorina Prosecco DOC Rosé Extra-Dry Millesimato

• signorinawine.com
  £13.50
• Shop Now
• Signorina is an elegant Prosecco DOC Rosé appellation that adapts to all drinking occasions. Fresh with lively bubbles, Signorina Prosecco DOC Rosé is a blush pink effervescent colour that is incredibly refreshing and easy to drink. This premium Prosecco Rosé is delicious, light, and vibrant with persistent, gentle bubbles that last. Signorina Rosé Prosecco is delightfully refreshing with a rich, dry, crisp, silky smooth, mineral palette. Its bubbly personality has delicate aromas of red apple, pink grapefruit & honeysuckle. Beautifully balanced, with good acidity, this elegant pink bubbly makes for a cracking chilled aperitif, pairs perfectly with hors-d’oeuvres, seafood, fresh fruit & salads, or as part of your next elegant cocktail creation.

• 3

• BEST DUTY-FREE FIND

• Bottega Spa Prosecco Rosé DOC Brut

• roseprosecco.com
  £12.99
• Shop Now
• Bottega has replaced its metallic bottles with a sophisticated yet straightforward package for its pink fizz for an easy-drinking pink bubbly with raspberry aroma on the nose, accompanied by apple, peach, and citrus flavours. Just like the brand’s award-winning gold Prosecco bottle, it’s also available as a magnum bottle size.

• 4

• VERY DRINKABLE

• La Gioiosa Prosecco Rosé

• roseprosecco.com
  £13.99
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• La Gioiosa translates as festive, happy and high-spirited. La Gioiosa's full-flavoured Rosé Prosecco pink fizz opens up with strawberry, peach, and pomegranate notes on the palate. Serve with canapés. Salute!

• 5

• RUNNER-UP

• Villa Sandi Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut Millesimato

• www.roseprosecco.com
  £19.50
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• Villa Sandi claims to be the first brand to offer the new Rosé Prosecco DOC. Villa Sandi has been making Pinot Nero grape wines for a while. Villa Sandi describes their Prosecco DOC Rosé as "fresh with lively bubbles, with aromatic notes of pomegranate and delicate rose petals on the nose. Well balanced, with easy-going acidity, this elegant fizz makes a cracking aperitif or accompaniment to hors-d'oeuvres.