Glera

Glera is a variety of white grape of Italian origin, cultivated probably some 2,000 years ago during the Roman times. Glera is a key grape in the production of the Italian sparkling wine Prosecco, an internationally recognized wine with a Protected Designation of Origin status.

The majority of Glera grapes are grown in the Prosecco region of Italy, which encompasses areas in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. The name change from Prosecco to Glera was to help protect the Prosecco wine designation and to ensure that only sparkling wines produced in the specific Prosecco regions could be labeled as Prosecco.

Therefore, wines made from the Glera grape but produced outside the Prosecco region must use the grape's name, Glera, rather than the Prosecco designation. Glera grapes are known for producing wines with high acidity, light floral aromas, and flavors of green apple, pear, and white peach.

When used in Prosecco, they are typically processed using the Charmat method, where the secondary fermentation that gives the wine its bubbles happens in large steel tanks, making Prosecco fresher, lighter, and more fruit-forward compared to its French cousin, Champagne, which undergoes secondary fermentation in the same bottle that reaches the consumer.