In 2025, Australia’s still standing strong, fighting to protect the Prosecco name for local producers, writes Deb Jackson.
I was enjoying a glass of Dal Zotto Pucino Prosecco recently, when I started thinking about the long-standing debate around the name Prosecco and why it continues to spark such intense international disagreement.
Let’s talk about Prosecco. That crisp, refreshing, bubbly wine that Australians have embraced with such enthusiasm over the past two decades. But while the wine flows freely across bars and bottle shops, the name behind it is at the centre of an international battle. At stake? The right for Australian winemakers to keep calling their wine ‘Prosecco’.
The European Union (EU) wants to claim exclusive rights to the term, asserting that Prosecco is a geographical indication (GI) tied to a region in Italy. However, in Australia, Prosecco is not just a place – it’s a grape variety, a style, and a burgeoning category that supports regional communities, tourism, and the future of our wine industry.
A name worth fighting for
This fight isn’t just about semantics. It’s about jobs, history, culture, and fairness.
Australian winemakers began planting the Prosecco grape more than 20 years ago. They followed the rules, labelled the wine accurately, and built a category that now contributes significantly to the local economy. The King Valley in Victoria, in particular, has become synonymous with the style, thanks to families like the Dal Zottos and Browns, whose Italian heritage inspired the early plantings.
Then, in 2009, the EU moved the goalposts by reclassifying Prosecco from a grape variety to a GI, effectively declaring that only Italian producers could use the name – a move that Australia argues is purely protectionist.
The dispute came to a head in late 2023 when Australia formally rejected a proposed Free Trade Agreement with the EU, citing Prosecco as a key sticking point.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese backed the local industry, stating: “The Australian Government has made it clear it will not sign a deal that does not serve our national interest.”
The wine industry applauded. In an article on The Shout, Katherine Brown of Brown Family Wine Group said that losing the Prosecco name would be “catastrophic,” and hailed the government’s stance as “a win not just for Prosecco producers, but for the future of Australia’s wine industry”.
Christian Dal Zotto was equally vocal, telling The Shout: “Prosecco is more than a name; it’s a part of our identity, our family history. We’ve worked too hard to have that erased.”
Academic research has also supported Australia’s argument, with studies from Monash and Macquarie universities showing that Prosecco has been used historically as the name of a grape, not a place, for centuries.
Market momentum
Amid a generally soft wine market, Prosecco has arisen as a success story, drawing in new consumers and retaining existing wine drinkers with its high quality, approachable image, versatility, and affordability. Market research from Circana indicates that Australian Prosecco has a total market value of $181 million, more than triple the category’s value in 2017.
The category benefits from widespread awareness, and Prosecco accounts for nearly one-fourth of all sparkling wine purchased in Australia. The category continues to show potential for growth, as well as areas for premiumisation and innovation.
The EU argues that restricting the use of ‘Prosecco’ protects consumers from confusion. But Australian winemakers and wine drinkers alike know better.
No one buying a bottle of Dal Zotto or Brown Brothers Prosecco thinks it was made in Venice. These wines are proudly Australian, with fruit-forward flavours, clean finishes, and a distinctly local character.
If anything, Australia has helped Prosecco thrive globally, expanding its audience and evolving the style to meet the tastes of modern drinkers.
Though the FTA remains unresolved, and negotiations may resume in the future, Australia has drawn a firm line on this issue. The wine community is standing together, supported by academics, policymakers, and consumers.
This isn’t just about wine. It’s about legacy, integrity, and standing up for our producers. Because if we let others rewrite our wine history today, what’s next tomorrow?
So, raise a glass to Australian Prosecco – and to the people fighting to keep the name flowing.
