The significant entity that protects the Prosecco Protected Denomination of Origin has become the Official Sparkling Wine Sponsor of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026
Milan, July 25, 2023 – The organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 has just welcomed a new sponsor: the Prosecco DOC Consortium. The partnership was announced during a private event held at the foundation’s headquarters. The event was attended by President Giovanni Malagò and CEO Andrea Varnier.
With the signing of the contract, the Consortium has chosen to embrace the world’s largest sporting event, with the desire to strengthen the promotion of one of Italy’s most beloved and internationally consumed wine products. The partnership highlights the strong connection with the territory and the wineries represented by the Consortium, emphasizing their excellence and values.
The President of the Prosecco DOC Consortium, Stefano Zanette, stated: “It is a great pleasure for us to support the Organizing Committee of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in this fantastic and ambitious adventure. Prosecco has long been investing significant resources in support of the world of sports and culture. What better occasion, therefore, than these Games to share those values that, starting from sports, become a way of life and, ultimately, culture. Not to mention another theme that unites us with the Olympic Movement, namely, our attention to the environment. Both our Denomination and the organizing committee of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics intend to make it clear that the commitment to environmental, economic, and social issues is not a problem, but an opportunity.”
According to Giovanni Malagò, President of the Milan Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee: “With the signing of the contract with the Prosecco DOC Consortium, the team of partners supporting the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation in the Road to the Games is further expanded. A leading entity that actively contributes to showcasing the excellence of our country to the world. The Prosecco DOC Consortium is synonymous with guarantee and style, narrating a story of successes and great passions, and just like the Milan Cortina team, it combines class, elegance, and personality with a harmonious smoothness.”
Andrea Varnier, CEO of Milano Cortina 2026, commented: “The commitment of the Foundation is directed towards organizing the Games and enhancing our locations and Italy’s image in the world. The partnership agreement fits within a path that will enable the largest winter sporting event to bring immense long-term benefits to Italy. The involvement of excellent entities like the Consortium within the Olympic and Paralympic project strengthens the values upon which all our work is based.”
Luca Giavi, General Director of the Prosecco DOC Consortium, added: “Considering the international scope of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and being Prosecco DOC the most consumed Italian wine denomination in the world, we couldn’t miss the opportunity to be the Official Sparkling Wine Sponsor of this grand event. We hope that this sponsorship will further highlight the connection between Prosecco and its production territory, the true reason behind the international success of our productions. Frequently, Prosecco’s fame leads many to believe that the term is synonymous with sparkling wine. It is not the case. Prosecco is a PDO that involves nine provinces between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, where the grapes are harvested and the Prosecco is vinified. Once bottled, it reaches 195 countries worldwide.”
FONDAZIONE MILANO CORTINA 2026
The objective of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, in agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), the Italian Paralympic Committee (CIP), the cities of Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Veneto Region, the Lombardy Region, and the Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano, is to plan, organize, finance, and host the Milano Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2026. Established on December 9, 2019, the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 is led by President Giovanni Malagò and CEO Andrea Varnier. The Olympic and Paralympic Games are the largest sporting event in the world, with an unprecedented media impact.
PROSECCO DOC
The Prosecco Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC) was established in 2009 through the united effort of the production chain, which now includes over 12,000 wineries across nine Italian provinces between Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia. The purpose was to firmly link the wine to its original territory, making it unique. For this reason, Prosecco is a wine crafted following precise production regulations, guiding every step of the production chain, from defining the production area to labeling. The DOC requires verification of compliance with these rules, and through constant monitoring and traceability, the origin and quality of the product are certified, safeguarding consumers with the application of the relevant state seal on each bottle, which, only at that moment, can bear the Prosecco label.
With an annual production nearing 650 million bottles, of which 80% is exported, the Prosecco DOC ranks as the world’s leading sparkling wine denomination. The Prosecco DOC Consortium aims to promote and enhance Prosecco DOC, protecting consumers and the production system by ensuring the correct use of the denomination “Prosecco” in Italy and worldwide.
