Prošek is a sweet

dessert wine Dessert wines, sometimes called pudding wines in the United Kingdom, are sweet wines typically served with dessert. There is no simple definition of a dessert wine. In the UK, a dessert wine is considered to be any sweet wine drunk with a meal ...

that is traditionally from the southern area of

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

. It is made using dried wine grapes in the

passito Straw wine, or raisin wine, is a wine made from grapes that have been dried to concentrate their juice. The result is similar to that of the ice wine process, but is a much older process and suitable for warm climates. The technique dates back ...

method. Good quality Prošek is usually much more expensive by volume than other wines due to an average of seven times as many grapes being needed to make the same amount of wine. While it can vary in the maximum amount, the alcohol level needed to be certified as a true dessert wine must be at least 15%. The composition is typically of

Bogdanuša Bogdanuša is a white grape variety, which is grown on the Croatian island of Hvar, where it originated on the Stari Grad Plain. Wines from this grape tend to be dry with a green-yellow to golden color and from 12% alcohol on up. Premium quality ...

Maraština Maraština (Rukatac, Maraškin, Mareština, Krizol, Višana) is an indigenous white grape variety from the Dalmatian coast, recommended for all Dalmatian sub-regions, and the Croatian Coast, except Istria. On the island of Cres, it is known as kriz ...

, and/or

Vugava Vugava (also known as Bugava) is a white grape variety mostly cultivated on the Croatian island of Vis (island), Vis in central Dalmatia. Vugava is often compared to Viognier due to its aromatic profile, but it has been genetically proven that the ...

(all native Croatian white grapes) with higher-end versions being a blend of the base white grapes and

Plavac Mali Plavac Mali (), a cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski ( ancestral Zinfandel) and Dobričić grapes, is the primary red wine grape grown along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. The name refers to the small blue grapes that the vines produce: in Cr ...

(a red Croatian grape).

Confusion with prosecco

Although the word Prošek sounds similar to the Italian sparkling wine

Prosecco Prosecco (; Italian: ) is an Italian DOC or DOCG white wine produced in a large area spanning nine provinces in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, and named after the village of Prosecco which is in the province of Trieste, Italy. It ...

, there are no similarities between the products either with regards to production method, style, or the grapes used, and there is no relation between the origins of the two names. Because of the name similarity, on 1 July 2013, the EU banned the use of name Prošek in all member states. Croatia filed a complaint, as a Croatian winegrower claimed that the wine had been produced "for at least 2000 years". In September 2021, the European Commission agreed to reconsider whether Prošek should be accorded a recognized protected label. Italian politicians immediately denounced the decision, with one regional governor describing the move "as if they wanted to take away Ferrari."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prosek Croatian wines Dessert wine