Italy-Croatia fight over Prosecco name gets ready to pop

By COLLEEN BARRY
AP Business Writer

PROSECCO, Italy (AP) — Italy has pledged to defend the name of the popular sparkling wine Prosecco as Croatia petitions the European Union to allow its winemakers to call their sweet dessert wine Prosek. The decision not only is a threat to the carefully protected market for the world’s top-selling wine but also the entire system of EU geographical designations created to guarantee the quality of artisanal food, wine and spirits. The dispute could turn on Prosecco’s origin story, emanating from the small Italian village near Slovenia’s border, where a handful of winemakers are reviving a centuries-old tradition called Prosekar. They hope their ties to Prosecco’s birthplace help their wine gain greater recognition but worry their name is at risk, too.