Californian sparkling wine made with the Italian method arrives: here’s how the US is preparing to replace prosecco

Sooner or later, it had to happen: after drinking so much Prosecco, the United States has finally decided to start producing its own. The attempt is called CalSecco, a sparkling wine aimed at young consumers, and it has just been launched by Rack & Riddle—the largest sparkling wine producer in the US. Already sold out on the group's e-commerce platform, the product raises suspicions that overseas, some are preparing to replace Italian bubbles—just as Trump appears determined to wage a tariff war against European products.

After all, the launch statement does not hide its inspiration (nor does the name, which flirts dangerously with Italian sounding).

A nod to prosecco

"CalSecco is grown and produced in California following Venetian tradition," admits Rack & Riddle's General Manager, Mark Garaventa. "California’s wine heritage has proven its place among the great wines of the world. While we have excelled in still wines and traditional method sparkling wines, the premium category for wines made with the Italian method remains unexplored."

Hence, the idea to enter the market with this California Brut: "Consumers are thirsty for modern, fruit-driven wines, making the US market perfectly ready for CalSecco. Rack & Riddle has exclusively registered this brand for use by our customers."

Visits to prosecco wineries

"Our winemaking team visited Italy’s top Prosecco wineries in 2022 and came back inspired," adds Manveer Sandhu, Executive Director of Winemaking at Rack & Riddle. Founded in 2007, the company provides turnkey winemaking services, custom branding, and owns four modern wineries specialising in both traditional method (Champenoise) and Charmat sparkling wine production.

"We loved the fresh and vibrant style we experienced there and decided to use that winemaking method in California to create our own expression," continues Sandhu. "CalSecco, intentionally local, is made 100% from grapes grown and vinified in California. We have created an entirely new category of American sparkling wine."

Soon, Rack & Riddle will also introduce a no- and low-alcohol production process, exclusively available in the US through a partnership with the patented Solos Aroma Recovery System.

Italian sparkling wine consumption in the US

The decision to debut with an Italian-inspired sparkling wine was, of course, dictated by numbers: one in seven bottles of wine sold in the US is sparkling (Nielsen data). The primary market segment (39%) falls within the $13–$17.99 price range—the same as Prosecco, at least without additional tariffs (otherwise, it would exceed €40). This price range is particularly attractive to young, educated, affluent, and diverse consumers.

According to Wine Industry Advisor, Italian-style sparkling wines sold 11.7 million cases in 2024 alone. The business opportunity—in a time of tariffs—is simply too tempting to ignore.