🍇 Glera
A white Italian variety, the basis of Prosecco; it covers 3.9% of Italy’s vineyards and 5861 ha in Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
Glera is a white wine grape variety from north-eastern Italy from which Prosecco is made. It is grown mainly in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. According to the VIVC catalogue, one of its parents is Vulpea. The variety used to be called Prosecco, but in 2009 it was renamed Glera.
The renaming coincided with the approval of the Prosecco Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG: the word “Prosecco” was kept for the protected wine. On 17 July 2009 Prosecco DOC was also created, covering nine provinces of the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. According to a 2020 paper, the PDO zone covers roughly 25,000 ha, and Glera is 3.9% of Italy’s vineyards; in Friuli-Venezia Giulia it is the second variety by area (5861 ha).
Prosecco is most often made by the Martinotti (Charmat) method, a second fermentation in a tank. In the technical sheet of the Prosecco DOC Rosé Consortium, Glera makes up 85–90%, the rest being Pinot Noir. The wine’s aromas are floral and fresh fruit, and the taste is fresh and lively.
The variety’s family ties have been studied by geneticists. The 2020 study found a first-degree relationship between Glera and Vulpea. Glera, Glera lunga and Aghedene are full siblings, and Vitouska is an offspring of Glera and Malvasia bianca lunga. Glera is also one of the parents of the variety Incrocio Manzoni 2.15.
Why it matters to you. On a label the word Prosecco is the name of a wine, not of a variety: the variety is now called Glera. The Prosecco DOC Consortium advises serving Prosecco chilled to 6–8 °C and storing it at a temperature no higher than 8–12 °C.
Facts
| Country | Italy 1 |
|---|---|
| Region | Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2 |
| Registered | Prosecco DOC: 17 July 2009; variety renamed Glera in 2009 3 |
| Main use | Prosecco (sparkling wine) 2 3 |
| Temperature | Serve Prosecco at 6–8 °C 3 |
How it connects to Wine
🍇 Glera → kind of → 🍇 Grape varieties → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape varieties
- Origin
- 🗺️ Italian wine
- Where it grows
- 📍 Veneto, 📜 Friuli, 📍 Conegliano Valdobbiadene
- Main grape in
- 📜 Asolo Prosecco, 📜 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
- Wines made from it
- 🍷 Prosecco, 🍷 Quality aromatic sparkling wine
- Related to
- 🍷 Sparkling wine
- Offspring
- 🍇 Incrocio Manzoni 2.15
- Parents
- 🍇 Vulpea
Frequently asked questions
Which grapes is Prosecco made from?
From the white Glera variety, which grows in north-eastern Italy.
Why is the variety called Glera and not Prosecco?
In 2009 the variety was renamed so that the word “Prosecco” would stay with the protected wine and its territory.
How large is the area under Glera?
According to the 2020 paper, 3.9% of Italy’s vineyards, and in Friuli-Venezia Giulia 5861 ha.
Who are Glera’s parents?
According to VIVC, one parent is Vulpea and the other is unknown; the 2020 study confirmed the first-degree relationship.
Is it true that Prosecco is a grape variety?
No. Prosecco is a protected wine name, and the variety is called Glera.
What to read next
- 🗺️ Italian wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grape varieties, appellations.
- 📜 Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco — DOCG Prosecco from the hills of the province of Treviso: sparkling, frizzante and still, from Glera.
- 🍷 Quality aromatic sparkling wine — An EU category: sparkling wine from aromatic varieties, most often Muscats.
- 🍇 Incrocio Manzoni 2.15 — Dark-skinned wine grape from Italy; parents Cabernet Franc × Glera; 6 synonyms in VIVC.
- 🍷 Sparkling wine — Four EU categories with at least 3 bar of carbon dioxide; traditional, tank and ancestral methods; Champagne, Cava, Prosecco.
Similar
🍇 Verdiso · 🍇 Boschera · 🍇 Glera Lunga · 🍇 Perera · 🍇 Bianchetta Trevigiana · 🍇 Schioppettino
Sources
- VIVC. Glera (passport 9741)
- Crespan M. et al. Unraveling the genetic origin of 'Glera', 'Ribolla Gialla' and other autochthonous grapevine varieties from Friuli Venezia Giulia. Scientific Reports, 2020
- Consorzio Prosecco DOC. Prosecco DOC Rosé technical sheet