Glera.

Glera is the white grape Prosecco is made from: at least 85% of every bottle of Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG. Until 2009 it was called Prosecco too, like the wine; the name was changed to protect the wine’s. It comes from far away, perhaps from the village of Prosecco near Trieste, but it’s on these hills that it found a home.

Valdobbiadene, explained · 5 November 2026 · 3 minutes

The name.

Since 2009 Prosecco is the name of the wine and of the area, protected as a denomination; the grape is called Glera. Before, they were the same word, and anyone, anywhere, could plant «Prosecco» and write it on a label. The grape’s name, they say, comes from the village of Prosecco above Trieste: an old hypothesis, not a certainty.

What it’s like.

A large, long bunch, yellow-green berries, a vigorous vine that ripens between late August and September. On its own it gives a light, fresh wine that smells of white flowers and just-picked fruit: apple, pear. That’s why it becomes sparkling so well, with the Martinotti method that keeps the aromas intact.

The other grapes.

Up to 15% can come from local grapes as old as Glera: Verdiso, Bianchetta, Perera. And small shares of Pinot and Chardonnay, a practice the rules call traditional. Every winery decides its own recipe; almost all of them, in the end, are nearly pure Glera.

Why here.

The hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are steep, south-facing, with marl and conglomerate soils that hold just enough water. The vine likes it, machines don’t: almost everything is done by hand. It’s the same landscape that since 2019 is a World Heritage site. Glera planted elsewhere makes a different wine. Here it makes Prosecco Superiore.

How Prosecco Superiore is made

Three quick questions.

Are Glera and Prosecco the same thing?

Not since 2009: Glera is the grape, Prosecco is the wine and the area where it can be made. Before 2009 both were called Prosecco.

Can Prosecco be made with other grapes?

Only in part: at least 85% must be Glera. The rest can come from Verdiso, Bianchetta, Perera, and small amounts of Pinot and Chardonnay.

Is Glera also drunk still?

Yes: the rules also allow a still Conegliano Valdobbiadene, without bubbles. It’s rare, but it exists.