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Prosecco on the Wind: From Venice to Victoria Harbour, the World’s Best-Selling Sparkling Wine Sails On

Aileen Lee

2026年6月5日

逆势增长6.4%!普罗塞克的风从威尼斯街边小馆吹到维港中式帆船


It pours in Michelin-starred restaurants, bobs on a junk boat party, and lands just as happily next to a bowl of spicy malatang. No wonder Prosecco has become the world’s best-selling fizz – and it’s still rising.


There are wines that demand a special occasion. And then there’s Prosecco – the one that creates the occasion. I learned this again on a late May evening in Hong Kong, standing on the deck of a traditional Chinese junk boat, Victoria Harbour glittering around me, a glass of Extra Dry Prosecco in hand. The boat swayed gently. Someone laughed. The bubbles danced in the warm sea breeze. It felt effortless – and that, I’ve come to realise, is precisely the point.


A few days earlier, I might have dismissed Prosecco as a humble, everyday pour. For around a hundred yuan – barely a tenner – you get a crisp, floral, unpretentious sparkler. Perfect for a picnic, sure. But for a gala dinner? For a seven‑course tasting menu? For pairing with everything from sashimi to spicy ’nduja? That, I assumed, was asking too much.


Then the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC arrived in Hong Kong for Vinexpo Asia (26–28 May), bringing three excellent wineries – Cantine San Simone, Cantina Montelliana and Masottina – and a series of events that completely changed my mind.


A cornerstone of the showcase was a deep dive into wine education and market trends. Prosecco DOC proudly featured in the official Vinexpo Academy program with a masterclass titled "Re-imagining Wine: Prosecco DOC in Asia's Cocktail Evolution." Led by Debra Meiburg MW and Certified spirits Educator Eddie Nara, the session explored the dynamic intersections of sparkling wine and modern mixology. 


Additionally, the highly anticipated "SommTalks" gathered some of Asia’s most famous and respected sommeliers to discuss Prosecco’s evolving role in top-tier dining. The interactive sessions featured Kevin Lu, the first Master Sommelier in Taiwan; Reeze Choi, ASI Best Sommelier of Asia & Pacific 2025; and Gerald Lu, President of Sommelier Association of Singapore, offering top-tier insights into regional market trends and pouring strategies.







A wine for all seasons, and all plates


Here’s what makes Prosecco so astonishingly versatile. It ranges from bone‑dry Extra Brut (0–6g/L residual sugar) to gently sweet Demi‑Sec (32–50g/L), with the most common styles being Brut (0–12g/L) and Extra Dry (12–17g/L) in China. The name “Extra Dry” is a classic Italian twist – it’s actually slightly sweeter than Brut. Across all these styles, you get the same fresh signature: zesty acidity, green apple, pear, white flowers, lemon zest. And because the secondary fermentation happens in stainless steel tanks (the Charmat method), the grape’s original fruit shines through, without the brioche notes of traditional‑method sparklers.


That clean, fruit‑forward profile makes Prosecco a near‑perfect match for Asian cuisines. “Prosecco DOC seamlessly bridges cultures, from high-end dining and mixology to vibrant networking events,” said Debra Meiburg MW, a highly influential voice in the wine world, with a particular focus on the Asian market. I saw this in action course by course at a media gala dinner at Aqua, a fine-dining restaurant with sweeping harbour views.


Debra Meiburg MW



Kevin Lu MS


Reeze Choi


Gerald Lu


Eddie Nara



Seven courses, three sweetness levels


Courses 1–3 – with Extra Dry (lightly sweet):


Sashimi and sushi platter – paired with Torresella Prosecco DOC Extra Dry. The wine’s purity and delicacy woke up the palate, letting the fresh fish speak for itself.

Hamachi tartare with caviar and homemade yogurt dressing – Cantine Maschio Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry. Light sweetness and bright acidity lifted the rich, fatty hamachi without fighting it.

Tiger prawn, asparagus and pumpkin tempura with yuzu chili stock – Viticoltori Ponte 1948 Prosecco DOC Treviso Extra Dry. The bubbles and subtle sweetness were a revelation with the crisp tempura batter and the umami‑spiced broth.





Courses 4–6 – with Brut (bone‑dry):


Homemade potato gnocchi with red prawns and fresh zucchini – Bosco Viticultori Prosecco DOC Brut “Pra’ dei Dogi”. The dry, crisp edge cut through the rich sauce and soft gnocchi, while fruit notes echoed the umami flavor of the seafood.

Fried Japanese sole fish and kabura‑mushi turnip with yuzu prawn stock – Borgo Molino Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut. A stunning dish: crispy skin, silky sole, umami‑deep dashi. The wine’s high acidity, elegance and floral lift kept every bite fresh.

Roasted octopus tentacle with ’nduja and black garlic sauce, chicory sprouts and potatoes – San Simone Prosecco DOC Brut 2025 “Perlae Naonis Green”. The dry, cleansing fizz tamed the spice, cut the oiliness, and left the palate clean and ready for more.





Course 7 – with Demi‑Sec (sweet):


Cocobello (coconut, mango and dark chocolate) – Cantina Pizzolato Prosecco DOC Demi Sec “Ice”. The wine’s sweetness matched the dessert, and its acidity prevented any cloying heaviness.


The takeaway? If you could keep only one sparkling wine in your fridge for everything – dinner parties, takeaways, spontaneous Friday nights – Prosecco is the easiest, most joyful, and most budget‑friendly choice you’ll ever make.



The numbers behind the joy


But let’s not mistake “easy‑going” for “lightweight.” The global appetite for Prosecco is remarkable. According to the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco DOC’s April 2026 news, Prosecco production hit a record 667 million bottles in 2025 – up 1.1% from 2024. Over 82% was exported to 164 countries. And this during a prolonged slump in global wine consumption.


The United States remains the largest market (23.3% share), with shipments growing 8% in 2025 despite tariff pressure. The UK comes second. And France, of all places – Champagne’s homeland – has jumped to third with a 19.8% surge, overtaking Germany.


Behind this rise is a series of promotional campaigns. In 2025 alone, the consortium ran 382 events in 39 countries, generating an estimated 2.1 billion brand impressions. It also became the Official Sparkling Wine Sponsor of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. In March 2026, Prosecco bottling volumes were 6.4% higher than the same month the previous year – a clear sign that the boom is far from over.


Why it works, especially in Asia


Tanja Barattin, the consortium’s area manager, puts it simply: “Prosecco brings the genuine happiness to the table. Its gastronomic versatility is incredible.”


Gerald Lu, president of the Singapore Sommelier Association, notes: “Prosecco is incredibly well-suited for Southeast Asian cuisine. The vibrant acidity and clean freshness of the wine act as a brilliant counterpoint to the rich, aromatic spice profiles and complex textures found in Singaporean and regional dishes, making it an excellent and highly adaptable companion for our diverse culinary scene.”


And Eddie Nara, a Hong Kong spirits educator and consultant, sees a wider cultural opening: “We explored how this expressive sparkling wine can capture younger audiences and elevating Asia's mixology scene.” He made several cocktails with Prosecco during the events and attracted quite a few young Asian consumers.



From left to right: Paola Bellusci, Debra Meiburg MW, Matteo Zoppas, Tanja Barattin



That blue‑and‑white label


One more thing to know: Prosecco isn’t just a sparkling wine. It’s a legally protected origin – Prosecco DOC. The rules are strict:


Where – north‑eastern Italy, across Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, covering nine provinces (Treviso, Venice, Vicenza, Padua, Belluno, Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste, Udine).

Which grape – at least 85% Glera.

How made – Charmat method (stainless steel tank), preserving those bright fruit and floral notes – green apple, pear, white flowers, lemon – while keeping prices accessible.


Look for the blue‑and‑white anti‑fraud label on the bottle neck. Chill to 6–8°C. Then do whatever you like: sip it with sashimi, with fried chicken, or mix a Spritz on a warm evening. Because what you’re drinking isn’t just a sparkling wine. It’s a little gust of Italian la dolce vita – whether you’re on a Venetian canal or a Hong Kong junk boat.



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VinosVivo Wine Media inspires people to lead a good life through the lens of wine, while offering market development solutions in China for wine and spirits—with a special focus on ecological products. Since 2020, it has served as the China partner of Meiburg Wine Media, Asia’s leading wine PR agency founded by Debra Meiburg MW, supporting the Georgian wine marketing campaign and co-organizing Asia’s first Skin-2-Skin Orange Wine Symposium. VinosVivo is also the China media partner of ProWein, the world’s leading wine and spirits fair.

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