Regular viewers of The Awards People’s vlogs will know that we always treat our guests to three quick fire questions at the end of our chat.  These relate to their celebrations upon winning awards: do they high five or bear hug; do they go onto the stage alone or with the team; and then, the most important question of all – is their celebration tipple of choice more likely to be Champagne or Prosecco?

OK, it may not be a BIG question in the whole scheme of things but it’s become quite a competitive thing here at TAP HQ as we have one person championing the luxury imbibement which is Champagne and another arguing that Prosecco is now a real contender in the quality and taste stakes, rightfully now taking its place in the glasses of champions…

Continuing with the fun that this debate has brought (we do, after all, like to have a lot of fun whilst doing the hard work here at The Awards People) we decided to take a look at some of the ‘fizz trends’ we can expect to see in 2020.  As a mark of respect and support we have of course kept this blog post until now rather than post it in what was a ‘Dry January’ for many.

In the world of Prosecco

2019 was a mixed year for the vineyards in the Prosecco region (which, since 2019, has been listed as a UNESCO Heritage site).  Some difficult growing conditions and a late harvest resulted in a significantly lower yield than in previous years, but growers have been somewhat compensated by the fact that this year’s grapes are of a very high quality (Yay!).

The three things connoisseurs might notice about their Prosecco in 2020 are;

• It will be drier – new production regulations have come into play to allow two drier styles to be marketed as Prosecco
• It may well be pink – from January 2020 the region’s governing body will allow producers to make and sell Rose Prosecco, replacing the lower quality pink fizz we are currently served
• It will be greener – a ban on the artificial herbicide, Glyphosate, came into effect in 2019 (making Prosecco the largest wine zone in Europe to have this environmentally sustainable policy) and this has sparked further self-imposed greener practices by individual vineyards

 

Meanwhile in Champagne…

Changes are perhaps generally slower in the world of Champagne as the heritage of the industry is part of its appeal (and value) but there are still moves afoot to expand the market and bring more attention to what the producers hope will become wider category;

• • We’ll see ‘Plenitudes’ – rather than just speak of vintages, producers will declare plenitudes or age statements which will allow the recognition of a particularly good harvest year and use only the grapes from that year to produce a premium product (sold at a premium price of course!)
  • We’ll be better educated – Champagne is usually a blend of harvests which together create the ‘house style’ but in order to allow better pairings with specific foods, there will be more information available on how and where each is made and what the unique features of each might be
  • We’ll have choice – True Rose Champagne will increase in availability this year and, being made with a larger percentage of Pinot Noir, it will be introduced as a meal accompaniment rather than just a celebratory tipple

 

So let’s all brace ourselves for these changes which will transform our respective worlds, we’re sure, and let’s not forget that there are other newcomers to this market too – Nosecco for those who like their bubbles without alcohol, or Pawsecco for those who want their four-legged friends to share in the celebration too!

If you’d love to have something great to celebrate, why not get in touch with us here at The Awards People and take the first steps towards the podium of success via Rachel@theawardspeople.co.uk or visit https://theawardspeople.co.uk/ to find out more about our great awards packages.