Bumper grape harvest as thirst for prosecco grows

Chicago

ITALY just produced the biggest grape crop ever for Prosecco, a sparkling wine that has set sales records in recent years. Prices aren't likely to drop anytime soon, because vintners are stockpiling the surplus.

Near-ideal growing conditions this summer led to bumper grape harvests across Italy, which is poised to overtake France as the world's biggest wine producer. With Prosecco output surging as much as 56 per cent this year to 3.5 million hectolitres (467 million bottles), the organisation that manages the appellation expects 300,000 to 500,000 hectolitres will be put in storage tanks for a year or longer.