Look at the Martinotti (Charmat) Method
Have You Ever Asked Yourself… Why Is Prosecco Cheaper Than Champagne?!
As we get closer to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, bubbles naturally take center stage. And almost every time I open a bottle of Prosecco with friends or guests, someone asks the same question:
“Why is Prosecco so much cheaper than Champagne?”
As a winemaker, the answer is simple—and it has everything to do with how the wine is made.
The Martinotti (Charmat) Method — Freshness Over Time
Prosecco is produced using the Martinotti method, also known as the Charmat method. Instead of creating bubbles inside each individual bottle, the second fermentation happens in large stainless-steel tanks.
The whole point of the Prosecco style is that once the bubbles are created inside the tank, there is very little time where the wine stays in contact with the dead yeasts. Once the wine is bubbly, it goes directly into the bottle, passing through a filtration system under constant temperature and pressure. The result is wine that goes into the bottle already sparkling, perfectly clean, and ready to drink.
This whole process usually lasts less than three months, making the Charmat or Martinotti method one of the fastest ways to produce sparkling wine while still achieving high-quality results.
Fermenting in tank allows me to preserve the natural fruit aromas of the grapes—green apple, pear, citrus, and delicate floral notes. The bubbles are lighter and softer, and the wine keeps its vibrant, refreshing energy.
Champagne, by contrast, ferments and ages in bottle for years, developing complexity, texture, and toasted notes—but also requiring more time, labor, and cost.
Prosecco is not trying to be Champagne. It’s designed to be fresh, joyful, and immediate.
Why Prosecco Is Fruitier, Easier to Drink, and More Affordable
The Martinotti method is more efficient, but that doesn’t mean lower quality. It means different priorities.
This approach allows Prosecco to be:
Light-bodied and crisp
Fruit-forward and aromatic
Easy to enjoy from the first sip
More accessible in price
As a winemaker, I love this style because it brings people together without rules or expectations. You don’t need an occasion—Prosecco creates one.
Plaisir: A Prosecco-Style Sparkling Wine from Campania
With Plaisir, I wanted to take everything I love about Prosecco and express it through a different Italian territory.
Plaisir is a Prosecco-style sparkling wine, made using the Martinotti (Charmat) method, but produced in Campania with local grapes—Falanghina, Greco, and Fiano. These varieties bring freshness, structure, and a Mediterranean brightness that feels unmistakably southern Italian.
On the nose, you’ll find green apple, pear, citrus zest, and subtle floral notes, followed by crisp acidity and light, elegant bubbles. The finish is clean, refreshing, and inviting.
How I Enjoy Plaisir
This is the wine I open first—before explanations, before speeches.
As a welcoming glass when guests arrive
In Mimosas, Bellinis, and Rossinis
In classic spritzes, or regional spritzes with our Calabria Bergamot Soda for a fragrant Calabrian twist
Plaisir isn’t meant to impress through complexity. It’s meant to make people feel comfortable, included, and ready to celebrate.
In the next posts, I’ll guide you through how other sparkling wines differ—from traditional-method bottles to regional Italian styles—so you can choose the right bubbles for every moment this season.
Try the Wine:
