Prosecco DOC in Canada: 14th of 178 markets, growing exports and a 2026 off to a +17% start

Canada is now Prosecco DOC’s 14th-largest market among the 178 countries where the appellation is sold. Between 2023 and 2025, exports rose from 11.6 to 12.4 million bottles, an increase of more than 830,000 (+7.2%), and the first half of 2026 closed a further 17.1% up on the same period in 2025. Canada accounts for more than 2% of total exports for an appellation that produced 667 million bottles last year, 82% of which were sold abroad.

Behind these numbers lies a strategy launched in 2017 by the Consortium together with the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada. It began in Quebec and later expanded to the Maritime provinces, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

“Canada proves that a market is built through consistency and by listening to the local community,” says Giancarlo Guidolin, President of the Prosecco DOC Consortium (Consorzio di Tutela della Denominazione di Origine Controllata Prosecco). “We have worked side by side with liquor boards, restaurateurs, bartenders and local communities, bringing Prosecco DOC to the places where city life happens. Heartfelt thanks go to the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada and to the institutions that supported us: their help has been invaluable. The results tell us we are on the right track.”

In a country where most wine is sold through provincial liquor boards, the first goal was to get on the shelves. Partnerships with the boards of Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia led to the listing of nearly 30 new labels. Their commitment also shows in the themed events they have organized around the sparkling wines of Veneto and Friuli, such as the Soirée Bulles, a Roaring Twenties evening in Montreal that sold out in three hours. In 2021, Montreal’s Pink Party, featuring seven producers, celebrated the arrival of Prosecco DOC Rosé on SAQ shelves.

The focus then shifted to the people who shape buying decisions. Over the years, Resto Weeks have involved nearly 230 restaurants across Quebec and Alberta; in 2019 alone, participating Quebec venues ordered more than 13,000 bottles. On the mixology front, 26 bartenders competed in three contests in Montreal and Banff, while in 2022 two workshops led by a master cheesemaker introduced 75 professionals to pairings with Quebec cheeses.

To reach the public, Prosecco DOC went where people gather. At the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, which drew more than 2 million visits over ten days in 2026, it was the exclusive sparkling wine across the entire site, with more than 12,000 glasses served. In Toronto, it supported the Rosé Picnic, where three dedicated tasting sessions welcomed more than 225 journalists and content creators. At MURAL Festival 2023, it raised a glass with 2,500 guests and unveiled a mural painted live in front of more than 71,000 visitors. In Banff in 2025, the Made with Love booth drew 1,500 people, with 13 producers pouring. And in 2019, in Caraquet, New Brunswick, the appellation went aboard fishing boats for a video and a dinner of oysters, lobster and crab.

Alongside the major events, other formats were designed to engage the public directly. In Montreal, the Boat Party aboard the Bateau-Mouche brought together 120 guests and influencers, while the bartender showdown at the Casino de Montréal was followed by more than 250 consumers. In Calgary, a “virtual sommelier” digital game sent more than 300 selected participants to taste Prosecco DOC in the city’s restaurants.

Canada’s connection also runs through the kitchen. Chef Residency, the Consortium’s project that brings the world’s culinary cultures into dialogue, was inaugurated in Milan in April 2026, during Design Week, by a Canadian: Dmetro Sinclair, Executive Chef of Nora Gray restaurant in Montreal. In September, the chef returned to Italy for the residency dedicated to his country. After Prosecco DOC Dreamland, an immersive experience in the appellation’s home territory with visits to producers, he led masterclasses, workshops and discussions with young hospitality professionals at House of Mediterraneo from September 25 to 29, ending with a final dinner on September 29 dedicated to contemporary Canadian cuisine.

Plum — “For this dish, we used the Prosecco to make the vinaigrette. I reduced it with plums, herbs and dried chili. So naturally I chose this Prosecco, because I wanted to give diners a taste of the same Prosecco in different forms.”

Beans — “I chose this Prosecco for the bean dish because I wanted something that would highlight the vegetal flavour of the crispy beans, while also contrasting with the deep sweetness of the tomato vinaigrette and dark tomato powder.”

Salmon — “This dish was fun to pair. There’s a lot going on: it’s sweet, spicy and acidic, with horseradish, maple, chili and fennel. We needed a Prosecco to relax the palate. I think the pairing worked very well.”

Pork — “This was maybe the most fun pairing to find. It could have gone a few different ways. The dish is smoky and savoury, fatty and rich. This Prosecco cut through all that richness while also complementing the smoky character. My favourite pairing.”

Nanaimo bar — “I was really happy with this pairing. I decided to do something different: instead of contrasting with the dish, this Prosecco harmonized with it. It shared a similar flavour profile and added another layer of complexity. It was maybe the biggest surprise of the evening for some guests. I loved it.”

“For me, the most successful dish of the night had to be the pork. It’s a very familiar flavour profile in Quebec, and one that is very close to my heart. Reimagining it this way, refined and composed yet still homey and soulful, was the most satisfying feeling. The response from the students and guests was overwhelming, too. A truly satisfying reinvention of an old classic.”

“This was a one-of-a-kind experience. I didn’t anticipate how much fun and how easy it would be to connect with the students. I’m honoured to have been able to take part. I learned so much about the restaurant scene in Italy and the cooks forging their way through it. In Canada, as chefs, we are trying to make restaurant culture a better place. In Italy, cooks aren’t waiting for chefs to change things: they are taking matters into their own hands and making their own paths, in their own way, in their own environment, on their own terms. It’s truly inspiring and admirable. I’ll always carry with me the relationships I built through Chef Residency. It makes me a better chef and a better person.”

For Chef Sinclair, food should be enjoyed free of rigid rules and conceptual constructs, so as to rediscover the authenticity of the ingredients. Because food is heart, pleasure and lightness: a vision perfectly reflected in Prosecco DOC, a symbol of conviviality and of a simple, genuine approach to the pleasures of the table.