The US market uncorked 40% more Proseccos in 2021 than pre-pandemic levels, as the market is responsible for consuming nearly one fifth of the total Italian sparkling wine production.
According to a study commissioned by the Prosecco DOC Consortium, American imports of Prosecco, posted a 40% increase in 2021 over pre-pandemic levels in volume, while its value also jumped by 19.1% to US$519 million.
In total, 25.5 million gallons of Prosecco PDO were exported to the US, representing 17.4% of the appellation’s total production.
Interestingly, among different states in the US, California poured the most of Prosecco last year, while in New York, interest in the sparkling wine waned.
California imported more Italian sparkling wine than any other state in 2021, by value, at approx. 79 million dollars, followed by Pennsylvania (approx. 63 million dollars), Florida (approx. 61 million dollars), Texas (approx. 59 million dollars), New Jersey (approx. 56 million dollars), and New York (approx. 55 million dollars).
Pennsylvania became the second most important state in terms of the value of imports of Italian sparkling wine, with a 120% increase over 2019.
An opposite trend emerged for New York, where the category’s imports dropped by 19.1%. However, regulations and trade relations between different states can affect the data, as Pennsylvania could have potentially redistributed bottles in New York, according to the study.
Prosecco DOC Rosé, a new category that was allowed since the 2020 vintage, has played a crucial role in the growth of the denomination, and in 2021, according to data officially released by the Prosecco DOC Consortium, 71.5 million bottles were produced.
Riding on the growth wave, the consorzio is rolling out the fifth National Prosecco Week – a nationwide campaign developed with Colangelo & Partners – taking place from July 18 to 24, 2022, with both digital and in-person experiences.
National Prosecco Week is a unique occasion to learn more about these extremely versatile wines. The campaign will showcase the versatility and pairability of each wine within the category, elaborate on the growing Prosecco DOC Rosé category, and educate media, trade and consumers on how to identify authentic Prosecco DOC.
