The current Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadine DOC zone will become a DOCG from 1 August.
As reported on decanter.com in May, the name of the new DOCG will be Conegliano-Valdobbiadene and the sparkling wines will have the words 'DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore' on the label.
In a statement, the Consorzio per la Tutela del Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene said, 'From 1st August 2009 all Prosecco will be protected both within and outside Europe.
'Producers making Prosecco from outside the DOCG and DOC region will have to use the new grape name Glera (an ancestor of the Prosecco grape) on their labels instead of Prosecco.'
Consorzio president Franco Adami said, 'In 1969, when we obtained the DOC, [Prosecco] was grown exclusively in the 15 communes lying between the small towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene.
'However in the last few decades...its cultivation has gradually spread. Given this situation, we had to take action to protect the name Prosecco.'
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