Let The Italian Sparkling
Wine Flow

&nbsp;BY ERIC GUIDO | DECEMBER 11, 2025The number
of Italian sparkling wines that are available in the market today is
unprecedented. Even beyond the major categories of Franciacorta, Prosecco and
Trentodoc, there is an overwhelming abundance of small-production sparkling
wines made throughout the country.Many
Italian winemakers have a deep-rooted love of Champagne, which led to the
creation of categories that aim to replicate its characteristics and generally
high level of quality. Franciacorta, Trentodoc and Alta Langa all utilize
Metodo Classico (méthode champenoise) and see extended aging in the bottle, a process
that brings out complexity through maturity and lees contact. These wines use
similar varieties to those employed in Champagne, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
and, to a lesser extent, Pinot Blanc accounting for the majority of production.



Franciacorta
remains the benchmark in terms of overall quality and consistency. I was seriously
impressed by many of the Franciacortas I tasted for this report. Situated in
Lombardy, the vineyards of Franciacorta thrive in well-draining, gravelly,
mineral-rich soils with a climate moderated by Lake Iseo. Franciacorta operates
under strict guidelines, requiring a minimum of 18 months of aging on the lees
for non-vintage bottlings, longer than Champagne. The Franciacorta category
remains underappreciated globally, often struggling against Champagne's 300
years of established branding, but the good news is that quality has continued
to climb over recent years. There’s more to like about Franciacorta than ever
before.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1765299247383-The+incredible+diversity+of+Italy%27s+Sparkling+wine+category_Vinous.jpg">Trentodoc
sparkling wines, from the Trento DOC in Trentino, possess wiry tension, noticeable
acidity and riper fruit profiles. This style reflects the region’s
high-elevation terroir, which is influenced by the cooling effects of the
Dolomites. Sadly, there is still a significant quality disparity in the
category, as some producers seem to really “get it” while many others lag.Alta
Langa, in the south of Piedmont, is the underdog, packed with potential yet
lacking the international marketing or producer reach that could solidify the
category for consumers. Even my attempts to engage the local Consorzio to
organize samples for this report proved unsuccessful; instead, winemakers had
to ship independently. Alta Langa is unique in that all of its wines must be
vintage-dated and aged for at least 30 months on the lees.





Prosecco
is easily the best-known category of Italian sparkling wine, but it also suffers
from the most significant level of inconsistency. That said, Prosecco can
consistently overdeliver. Typically, Proseccos are made using the Charmat (tank)
method. Readers in search of quality Prosecco should seek out wines from the
Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG, including its subzones such as Cartizze and the
43 Rive, which focus on crus from the region’s hillsides. Producers also craft
more serious wines in the Asolo DOCG, often made as Extra Brut or designated
Sui Lieviti (secondary fermentation in bottle with lees aging).<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1765299290714-When+all+is+said+and+done_Vinous.jpg">I tasted the wines in this article in November 2025 at
our offices in New York City.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/tis-the-season-for-sparkling-wine-dec-2024">‘Tis The Season for Sparkling Wine</a>, Eric Guido, December 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/sparkling-wines-from-italy-for-every-occasion-dec-2023">Sparkling Wines from Italy for Every Occasion</a>, Eric Guido, December 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-love-affair-with-sparkling-wine-dec-2022">Italy's Love Affair with Sparkling Wine</a>, Eric Guido, December 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-wine-paradox-dec-2021">Italy’s Sparkling Wine Paradox</a>, Eric Guido, December 2021 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/italy-s-sparkling-advantage-prosecco-and-franciacorta-dec-2020">Italy’s Sparkling Advantage: Prosecco and Franciacorta</a>, Eric Guido, December 2020

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social