How Prosecco Is Made: From Italy’s Iconic Sparkling Wine to Tuscany’s New Bubbles

A journey through Italy’s sparkling traditions — from Prosecco to the new generation of Tuscan spumante.

1) Still vs. Sparkling: Two Souls of Italian Wine

What’s the difference between regular wine and sparkling wine? Is sparkling wine actually Champagne? What turns wine into Champagne?

If still wines are like fine art — complex, contemplative, and profound — sparkling wines are pure celebration in motion.
Think of a Brunello di Montalcino, a Chianti Classico, or a Super Tuscan: bold and elegant, designed for quiet reflection.
Prosecco, instead, is laughter in a glass — lively bubbles rising like tiny bursts of joy.

The only real difference between still and sparkling wine lies in a magical extra step: the second fermentation.
Still wines undergo a single fermentation that produces alcohol but no bubbles, while sparkling wines are fermented again to trap natural carbon dioxide.
That’s where the magic sparkle comes from.

And no, not all sparkling wine is Champagne. True Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France, made using the Méthode Champenoise — the same process Italy has mastered under its own name: the Metodo Classico.

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2) Shop by Method: Understanding How the Bubbles Got There

With so many sparkling wines on wine lists and store shelves, choosing can be intimidating.
A great trick is to shop by method — understanding how the bubbles were formed gives you clues about the texture, pressure, and aromatic personality of what’s in your glass.

In Italy, three main approaches define the world of bubbles:

1. Traditional Method (Metodo Classico or Champenoise) – second fermentation inside the bottle; complex, creamy, elegant.

2. Charmat–Martinotti Method – second fermentation in a pressurized tank; fruity, fresh, and joyful.

3. Ancestral Method (Pét-Nat or Col Fondo) – a single fermentation finished in bottle; rustic, cloudy, and fun.

Each method has its own rhythm, its own story, and its own sparkle.

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3) From Champagne to Prosecco: Two Traditions, One Passion

Why can’t we legally produce Champagne? How is sparkling wine made?

The French may have coined Champagne, but Italy gave the world its own sparkling poetry.
Because of European Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) laws, only wines from the French region can bear the name “Champagne.”
Even if Italian producers follow the same method, they must label it Metodo Classico.

It’s a matter of geography, not quality.
Italy’s sparkling wines — from Prosecco in Veneto to Franciacorta DOCG in Lombardy and Trento DOC in the Alps — are world-class in their own right, shaped by terroir and tradition.

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4) The Traditional Method (Metodo Classico or Champenoise)

This is where bubbles are born inside the bottle itself.
The process starts with a dry, still base wine, often a blend (cuvée) of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc, selected for crisp acidity and balance.

A small dose of yeast and sugar — called the liqueur de tirage — is added before sealing each bottle.
Inside, the yeast consumes the sugar, creating a touch more alcohol and, crucially, carbon dioxide (CO₂).
Because the bottle is tightly sealed, the gas dissolves into the wine — forming the iconic perlage.

This is a high-pressure world: around 6 atmospheres, roughly the same as an 18-wheeler tire.
That’s why bottles of Champagne and Metodo Classico are so thick and heavy.

After fermentation, bottles rest horizontally for at least nine months, often two to five years in regions like Franciacorta DOCG, Trento DOC, and even some Tuscan Metodo Classico rosés.
During this time, the yeast breaks down through autolysis, releasing flavors of brioche, croissant, pastry dough, and that signature “cappuccino foam” texture.

When you swirl a sip in your mouth, it literally expands with creamy bubbles — the famous “chipmunk cheeks” feeling of traditional sparkling wines.

Eventually, the bottles are gently rotated (riddling) so that the spent yeast slides into the neck.
That portion is frozen, and when the cap is released, pressure expels the frozen plug — a process called disgorgement.
The winemaker then tops up the wine with a small dose (liqueur d’expédition) — sometimes including a touch of sugar (dosage) to achieve the desired style, from Pas Dosé (bone dry) to Brut (crisp) or Extra Dry (softer and rounder).

Because of its long lees contact and pressure, Metodo Classico shows a fine, persistent bead that dances slowly to the surface and lasts longer in the glass.
For such complex aromas, most sommeliers prefer a tulip or white-wine glass over a narrow flute — so you can fully enjoy the bouquet.

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5) The Charmat–Martinotti Method (Prosecco & Lambrusco)

How does Prosecco get its bubbles? Is sparkling wine full of sugar?

Unlike Champagne or Franciacorta, Prosecco doesn’t ferment in the bottle.
Its delicate, fruity sparkle comes from Italy’s own innovation — the Charmat–Martinotti method, perfected in the early 1900s.
Here, the second fermentation happens in large stainless-steel tanks (autoclaves), where pressure is maintained and the wine’s fresh aromas are preserved.

Prosecco is made from the Glera grape, grown on the hills around Valdobbiadene and Conegliano.
After the first fermentation, the base wine is transferred into autoclaves.
The winemaker adds selected yeasts and natural grape must to start the second fermentation under pressure.
As the yeast consumes sugar, it releases CO₂, which dissolves into the wine and creates the famous bubbles.

This process lasts 30 to 90 days, after which the wine is filtered and bottled under pressure.
The result is fresh, aromatic, and best enjoyed within a year of harvest.

Prosecco’s sweetness depends on its residual natural sugar, not on added syrup:

• Brut – up to 12 g/l, crisp and dry

• Extra Dry – 12–17 g/l, balanced and classic

• Dry – 17–32 g/l, soft and fruity

The main denominations are Prosecco DOC, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG, and Asolo DOCG.

A short lees contact in tank can lend a hint of fresh pastry, but Charmat wines are defined by their youthful fruit — apple, pear, white flowers.
Their bubbles are slightly rounder and “poppier” than Metodo Classico because of shorter ageing and lower pressure (3–5 atmospheres).

If you love your flutes, this is where they shine: tall and slender, ideal to highlight Prosecco’s playful, aromatic charm.

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6) The Asti Method (Single Fermentation)

Used in Piedmont for Asti Spumante and Moscato d’Asti, this method involves only one fermentation that happens entirely in a pressurized tank.
Fermentation is stopped early — when enough natural sweetness remains — to produce wines that are lightly sparkling, aromatic, and low in alcohol (7–9%).

The result is sunshine in a bottle: honey, peach, orange blossom, and white musk.
It’s dessert-friendly but also delightful with fruit tarts or vegan pastries.

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7) The Ancestral or Pét-Nat Method (Col Fondo)

This ancient, recently revived style allows the wine’s first and only fermentation to finish in the bottle.
Winemakers start fermentation in tank, then cool it before completion so the yeast becomes dormant.
They bottle the wine while some sugar and yeast remain; fermentation resumes naturally inside the bottle, trapping gentle bubbles.

Pressure is lighter (2–4 atmospheres), producing a bigger, rustic bubble that fades faster in the glass.
Serve very cold and enjoy its unfiltered charm — often slightly cloudy, sometimes funky and cider-like, sometimes floral and bright.

Because no disgorgement occurs, lees remain in the bottle. Some producers prefer pouring gently to keep the wine clear; others suggest softly inverting the bottle to integrate the sediment — it’s a matter of style.

This is the ancestor of all sparkling wines and the origin of the traditional Prosecco Col Fondo, now back in vogue among natural-wine lovers.

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8) Comparing the Methods at a Glance

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9) Tuscany’s New Sparkling Chapter

For decades, Tuscany has been the kingdom of red wines — Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile, and the legendary Super Tuscans.
But today, visionary winemakers are crafting elegant Metodo Classico sparkling wines from Sangiovese, often in delicate rosé form.

On our Tuscany wine tours, or Brunello wine tour from Florence  you’ll meet producers experimenting with fine-bubble Sangiovese rosé spumante aged 24 months on the lees — proof that Tuscany’s reds can wear pink bubbles beautifully.

Here, bubbles don’t imitate the north — they speak pure Tuscan language.

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10) How to Taste Sparkling Wine Like a Pro

• Serve chilled (6–8 °C / 43–46 °F).

• Open gently — a soft sigh, not a loud pop.

• Observe the perlage, inhale the aroma, sip slowly: freshness first, then depth.

• Prosecco / Charmat – pairs with vegan antipasti, bruschetta, grilled veggies.

• Metodo Classico – complements aged pecorino, risotto, truffle dishes.

• Pét-Nat / Col Fondo – fun with finger foods or picnics.

• Glassware: flute for playful styles, tulip for complex ones.

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11) A Toast to Italy’s Sparkling Spirit

From the Alpine peaks to the Tuscan hills, Italy’s bubbles celebrate both craftsmanship and joy.
Prosecco captures the lighthearted side of life, while Metodo Classico reflects time, patience, and artistry.
Now, Tuscany — the home of Chianti and Brunello — is writing its own sparkling chapter: elegant spumante with a Tuscan heart.

Cin Cin — from Tuscany, with bubbles! 🥂

If you’d like to experience Italy’s sparkling story firsthand, join one of our wine tours:

• Chianti Wine Tour from Florence

• Brunello di Montalcino Wine Tour

Each one blends vineyards, flavors, and the timeless sparkle of Tuscany.