Why prosecco sales are booming

Prosecco sales are booming, helped by people celebrating the new year with the affordable bubbly, according to Liz Paquette, head of insights for online alcohol retailer Drizly.

Italian prosecco, which typically sells for $16 a bottle, price-wise trumps French Champagne which, on average, sells for $57 a bottle, Paquette said in the Wall Street Journal.

Consumers are looking for less-expensive options due to economic uncertainty, the downturn in the stock market and the rise in interest rates, Paquette said.

“For more than a decade, high-price drinks have driven sales growth in wine and spirits industries as people traded up for fancier brands. This is now changing: Sales growth of costlier spirits and wine is slowing, and even reversing, as shoppers seek out more value,” she said.

Already in 2022, prosecco sales made strides over Champagne, according to Drizly. Prosecco saw a 26% growth in market share from December 2021 to December 2022, while Champagne saw a 6% decrease in that period.

While prosecco is not as complex as Champagne, it’s a cheaper option because it’s most often made from a simpler method: the tank or charmat method.

This process requires yeast and sugars to be added to the base wines in a tank for a secondary fermentation. Once the tank is sealed, no carbon dioxide can escape, ensuring the fermented wine is frothy before it’s bottled.

The fizzy bubbles in prosecco don’t last as long as the refined mousse of French Champagne because the aging in large tanks have less pressure. But prosecco, at its best, has enticing aromas of tropical fruits, hazelnut and honeycomb. Flavors range from green apple and peach to almond and biscuit. Among quality producers of prosecco are Masottina, Belletti, Ruffino, La Maarca and Cinzano.

You can reach Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.