What Is The Prosecco Name Dispute Between Italy and Slovenia?
The short answer
The official Prošek application associated with the Prosecco naming controversy was made by Croatia. The documents reviewed do not substantiate this page’s earlier description of a Slovenian complaint in 2019. The country, wine name and type of legal application need to be kept separate.
Answered by Michael Goldstein · Founder, Bella Principessa
Updated on
The full answer
The official Prošek application associated with the Prosecco naming controversy was made by Croatia. The documents reviewed do not substantiate this page’s earlier description of a Slovenian complaint in 2019. The country, wine name and type of legal application need to be kept separate.
Two similar names can make a complicated wine story sound deceptively simple. Before asking who won, it helps to establish which country applied for what.
What do the official records show?
The EU Official Journal publication of September 22, 2021 identifies Croatia’s Ministry of Agriculture as the applicant for protection of the traditional term Prošek. It records receipt of the application on December 11, 2013, under file TDT-HR-1670.
That is a Croatian application for a traditional wine term. It is not evidence of the alleged Slovenian complaint described in the earlier answer. We have not established that claim from the official sources reviewed, so it should not be repeated as settled history.
Are Prošek and Prosecco the same wine?
No. The Croatian application describes Prošek as wine made from raisined grapes. Prosecco is an Italian wine designation, best known for its sparkling styles. Similar spelling does not make the products or their naming rules interchangeable.
Our guide to what Prosecco is explains the Italian DOC designation, grapes and styles.
Does publication of an application mean the name was approved?
No. The 2021 notice opened an objection procedure. In an answer dated April 11, 2023, the European Commission said it had received twelve admissible objections and was assessing the application.
Those documents establish a dated sequence, not a final outcome in 2026. They should not be used to announce a current approval, rejection or market-wide ban. The Italy–Australia naming discussion concerns a separate set of negotiations and markets.
What matters when buying Italian Prosecco?
Check the country of origin and the full designation on the bottle. Bella Principessa’s white Prosecco DOC is an Italian wine. Choose its style for the occasion; a naming controversy does not tell you whether you will enjoy the glass.
Sources
The official Croatian Prošek application notice and the European Commission’s April 2023 answer. The historical claims above are tied to those documents and dates.
The long read, in the JournalThe Prosecco Hills, an Hour from Venice7 min read →
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