We tend to approach sparkling wine in a rather simplified way. The traditional method is more complex, and therefore often considered to give wines that are more profound; the tank method is more direct, industrial even, and therefore its wines “have to be” more immediate in expression. This way of thinking may seem reasonable, but when repeated often enough, it turns into a default hierarchy—one that is rarely questioned. In Italy, however, such a hierarchy does not fully apply.
Different sparkling wines are not variations of the same objective arranged in levels, but rather the result of different choices. There are, for example, different constraints and realities, because, for example, the Glera grape variety, universally known for it is the grape behind Prosecco, for reasons that are not yet completely clear from a scientific perspective, does not tend to give its best wines when put through a traditional sparkling wine process. Clearly, there is much more than just that: the sparkling wines of the world come from different regions, different grape varieties, and are made through different methods, each pointing toward distinct styles and occasions of consumption.
Italy offers a different answer. There, sparkling wine has never been built around a single standard, but rather as a coexistence of multiple styles and approaches. From Prosecco to Franciacorta, from TrentoDOC to Alta Langa, and even the many different Lambrusco wines made with just as many different Lambrusco varieties (remember that there is no such thing as a “Lambrusco” wine, but rather those made with Lambrussco di Sorbara, others made with Lambrusco Grasparossa, and others still: Italy has 18 different Lambrusco varieties in all and they give wildly different wines). Each one of these many different sparkling wines represents a different choice: the preservation of fruit, the introduction of time, the continuation of tradition, or a response to local food culture. And for this reason, when these wines are placed on the same table, the more interesting question is not which is better, but rather—what each one is trying to express.
Different Methods, Different Expressions
Take Prosecco as an example. Produced through the tank method, its focus is not complexity, but the preservation of fruit—apple, pear, white flowers—and a direct, clean expression. It emphasizes freshness, lightness, and approachability, making it inherently suited to everyday drinking. This also partly explains its scale. Today, Prosecco exceeds 600 million bottles annually, making it one of the most important categories of sparkling wine worldwide. At such volume, stylistic uniformity becomes, to some extent, inevitable. But beware, as that is often an excuse used by people who talk about wine without fully knowing the subject at hand. It’s easy to say “Prosecco”, after maybe visiting the area once in a blue moon on an all-expense paid junket; but the fact is that if you really know Prosecco, and you’ve been there enough, then you know that those Prosecco wines made from the clay-rich soils of Conegliano are wildly different from those made with grapes grown in the limestone-rich soils of Valdobbiadene. And even more different if rather than 100% Glera there are also small percentages of Verdiso, Perera and Bianchetta Trevigiana included within the blend, in fact the way Prosecco used to be made a century or two ago. And even more different is planted on a hillside with a 70% slope gradient or if its on a fertile, machine-harvested flatland somewhere. So yes, the wines are made following a certain logic, but each has its differences and cannot be reduced to just one simple wine model. It’s unfair to do so: to the wine, to the hard-working families who make them, to the wine lovers out there who deserve to know more. But of course, you have to know that, to understand the choices that are being made with each wine.
When we turn to Franciacorta or TrentoDOC, the core logic shifts. The traditional method introduces time. Lees contact brings structure, depth, and autolytic notes—bread, nuts, and a more textural dimension. These wines are not necessarily “better,” but clearly move in a different direction of expression.
Alta Langa pushes this further. With an annual production of only around 3 million bottles, it remains a very small category, yet emphasizes longer aging and tighter structure, resulting in a more restrained and focused interpretation of the traditional method. These are wines that are recognizably different from Franciacorta’s.
The Lambrusco group of grapes and their wines, on the other hand, sit almost outside of this framework. The production of Lambrusco wines from these many different grapes is similarly large, but its stylistic range is vast—from industrial wines to high-quality expressions, made with many different grape varieties grown in many different habitats. Lambrusco wines too, have terroir. But clearly, this unevenness in the offerings is also one of the challenges Lambrusco grapes and their wines will continues to face. Better education is sorely needed to push through and forward knowledge about the diversity of Lambrusco grapes and wines, and we should all ask ourselves if that is really being done at present.
Beyond Style: The Reality
Of course, reality is rarely ideal. Prosecco’s main challenge lies in its scale. High yields within the DOC system can lead to inconsistencies in style and, at times, a sense of dilution—something long criticized. But as already mentioned, this does not apply to all Prosecco. Within the DOCG system, hillside vineyards, manual harvesting, older vines, and stricter regulations result in wines with greater concentration and structural clarity. Yet even so, prices often remain relatively moderate—this reflects stylistic positioning rather than a compromise in quality. Prices also remain low because people are unwilling to pay for a wine bearing essentially the same name but that costs twice as much, if the differences between such wines aren’t clearly spelled out or easy to understand. This is also where “easy drinking” deserves reconsideration. It is not simplicity, but a controlled expression—finding balance between lightness and precision is, in and of itself, not an easy task.
Franciacorta presents a different situation. Around 87% of its production is consumed domestically, with relatively limited export presence. This suggests that while the quality system is well established, international recognition remains somewhat constrained. Wht=y that is also require careful analysis and in-depth reasoning.
Lambrusco presents a more complex case. On one hand, it is deeply rooted in local culture; on the other, the wide variation in quality has, at times, affected overall perception. But again, it’s hard to sell something when nobody know much about it, and the fact is that 90% of the world’[s consumers don’t have an inkling as to what the differences between a Lambrusco di Sorbara wine and a Lambrusco Grasparossa wine might be; and if we really want to live on the wild side and risk walking off a ledge, we can try talking about Lambrusco Marani and Lambrusco Montericco too. In that case, well… good-night.
Back to the Table
In Italy, sparkling wine is never disconnected from food. Prosecco works with light appetizers and simple dishes; Franciacorta and TrentoDOC are better suited to more structured cuisine; Lambrusco remains closely tied to regional gastronomy. This diversity is not complexity for its own sake, but a natural correspondence. Different wines, for different tables. These differences do not require a conclusion of which is “better.” What makes Italian sparkling wine interesting is precisely that it does not attempt to become a single thing.
Not one voice, but many.
The wines in this tasting
