A Showplace for Everything

Tiffany-blue label, a global bestseller. Founded in 1968 as a cooperative between multiple wineries in Prosecco DOC and Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG, La Marca is made up of 5,000 local growers managing some 38,000 acres of vines, an astounding 25% of the region’s output. As Manetta shares, the average vineyard size per grower is about 7 acres, but many parcels are closer to 1 acre, not much larger than a suburban backyard. In a co-op model, family growers secure long-term contracts and benefit from shared technical expertise at every step of production. Access to a consistent supply of quality grapes has real benefits: The entry-level La Marca Prosecco is affordable and tasty with flavors of green apple, peach and lemon.

Prosecco is such a big part of our wine-drinking culture it’s hard to remember a time when we didn’t reach for it at brunch, happy hour or to top a spritz. For Manetta and friends, meeting for aperitivo hour—usually an Aperol-style spritz at the end of the day—is a part of life. Nothing fancy, this slice of la dolce vita costs about four euros a glass. “You always get a small bite to enjoy, like salty nuts, chips or grissini with prosciutto,” Manetta shares. “The acidity and structure of Prosecco works well with many foods, and we don’t save it for weekends.” The simple pleasure of sharing a well-made bubbly with friends is at the heart of Prosecco, which Manetta believes is the most valuable export of the region. “Prosecco stands for a specific territory, a tradition rooted in this small part of Italy where great care is taken to make the wines. We didn’t start out making a wine to export; Prosecco is the wine the locals love to drink.” *

Helen Gregory is the founder and president of Gregory + Vine. She has worked in strategic brand management and communications for beverage industry leaders such as Moët Hennessy USA, Rémy Cointreau and STOLI, and has led award-winning hospitality, beverage and lifestyle campaigns for prestige clients from the European Union to Argentina, Australia, Chile, Israel, South Africa and the United States.