London’s first-ever prosecco festival is happening this year
Here's something worth popping your cork for: someone in the capital has managed to entice eight of Italy's best prosecco producers, meaning London's first-ever prosecco festival is happening in May.
The three-day Prosecco Springs festival will take place in Oval Space in Hackney, and will feature both prosecco producers and creators of Italian delicacies such as antipasti, charcuterie and (naturally) various types of pasta.
The festival will also include a series of prosecco masterclases, in conjunction with the East London Wine School, with expert sommeliers lined up to help you quaff fizz like a pro. Talks include one on the different types of prosecco, and one on how to pair it with food (although if you're anything like us, it goes with everything…).
Tickets to the festival are £35 for a day pass, and entitles you to a free glass of fizz from each of the eight producers.
Going potty for prosecco
It's hardly surprising producers are keen to court Britons: such is the UK's thirst for Italian fizz, in 2015 prosecco sales overtook champagne, knocking back £339m in a single year.
But what will the Italians make of the Briton's prosecco-drinking habits? Two years ago the UK came under fire by an Italian MP for allowing prosecco to be served on tap in the UK.
“The government will act immediately, in conjunction with the EU, against the United Kingdom and the incorrect serving of prosecco in British pubs,” said Michaele Anzaldi, an MP from the country's Democratic Party.
“We will find out if sanctions have already have been applied and if not how best we can discourage further violations that are damaging a valuable sector of our economy.”
“It’s one thing to drink prosecco, a protected brand, but quite another to drink pseudo-wine pumped with carbon dioxide, as seems to be served in some British pubs.” Oof.
Given Anzaldi's disgust, it's pretty likely the producers appearing at Prosecco Springs will take a dim view of Skinny Prosecco, the low-cal version of the fizz created by British luxury drinks group Thomson & Scott last year…