Prosecco grape pressing extracts the juice, called must, that will become wine. For white-wine production, gentle pressing separates juice from grape skins before fermentation. The juice then settles so the cellar can separate it from suspended solids.
The finished glass makes the journey look effortless. In the cellar, each stage has its own job.
What is Prosecco grape pressing used for?
It releases juice from the harvested fruit. The Prosecco DOC consortium describes separating white grapes from their stalks, pressing gently and resting the juice at low temperature so solid particles settle.
| Stage | What changes? | What comes next? |
|---|---|---|
| Pressing | Juice separates from the grape solids | The juice can settle |
| Settling and separation | Suspended solids settle out of the juice | The clarified juice moves to fermentation |
| First fermentation | Yeast converts sugars into alcohol | The cellar has base wine to work with |
When do the bubbles form?
Pressing produces juice. Fermentation turns that juice into wine. In the tank method used for Prosecco DOC spumante, a later fermentation in a sealed pressure tank retains the carbon dioxide that makes the wine sparkle.
Follow the sequence in our guides to first fermentation and the Martinotti method.
Does rosé follow the same process?
Prosecco DOC Rosé includes Pinot Nero vinified as red wine alongside Glera. That red-wine component provides color before the blend goes through its sparkling process. A description of white-grape pressing alone does not explain the whole rosé sequence.
Our guide to how Prosecco rosé is made explains the distinction. Bella Principessa’s white DOC Brut and DOC Rosé Brut illustrate the two expressions; their labels do not establish a particular cellar’s pressing equipment or harvesting method.
