A sign promoting the nomination has been displayed in the 20 Bottega Prosecco Bars in Italy and around the world.
Italy has nominated Italian cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If the nomination is accepted, it will be a valuable recognition for our entire country, as well as for the food and wine sector. In November 2025, UNESCO issued an initial positive technical opinion, and the final decision will be made on 10 December.
On 1st December, the social media initiative “Speriamo che sia UNESCO” (Let's hope it's UNESCO) was launched, promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture together with the Ministry of Culture. In this regard, Bottega, a distillery in Bibano di Godega (TV), wanted to make its own contribution by conveying a message of support through a sign posted in its 20 Prosecco Bars in Italy and around the world, as well as through targeted posts on its social media channels. ‘Prosecco Bar’, created in 2014, is a concept created by Bottega with the aim of promoting the excellence of our country and gratifying the palate of the typical consumer.
Specifically, it revives the philosophy of the Venetian bacaro, an informal osteria where food is served both as “cicheti”, or snacks to be eaten at the counter, and as more structured dishes to be served at the tables. The pairing with Prosecco, favoured for its versatility, and with other Italian wines comes full circle and helps to make every moment spent in a Baccaro, whether short or long, a pleasant experience that enriches the spirit and refreshes the soul. Prosecco bars have quickly become ambassadors for Italy's food and wine culture around the world and have expanded their offerings to include dishes from all over Italy, using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.
The menus of these establishments also include some recipes from Sandro Bottega's book “I 100 piatti del Prosecco” (100 Prosecco dishes), which promotes the versatility of the world's most popular sparkling wine, together with the gastronomic excellence of the region where it is produced. Sandro Bottega, CEO of Bottega S.p.A. and creator of the Prosecco Bar project, says: “Various cuisines around the world have achieved levels of excellence and are an expression of millennial cultures, but Italian cuisine, compared to others, offers the incredible variety and multiplicity of regional dishes that form its backbone.
“Ingredients of the highest quality come from a varied territory stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the Alps. In short, it is a healthy and tasty cuisine that satisfies the palate and preserves health. It is a cuisine that never bores, thanks to its almost infinite range of gastronomic offerings.
“A cuisine that has found an irreplaceable companion in wine, to be enjoyed in moderation in order to fully appreciate the combinations that satisfy the palate, making the time spent at the table a memorable experience. I would therefore say that Italian cuisine has every right to become a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
The Bottega family, which has four centuries of history in the world of wine and grappa, founded the company which is now both a winery and a distillery. It is based in Bibano di Godega (TV), 50 km north of Venice, where it produces grappa, wines and liqueurs. Among the grappas, the fine selections of single grape varieties and barrique-aged distillates stand out.
The Bottega wine range includes Prosecco, including the well-known Bottega Gold, and other sparkling wines with great personality. Amarone, Ripasso, Chianti Gallo Nero, Brunello di Montalcino and other great red wines are produced in separate wineries in Valpolicella, Chianti and Montalcino. The Bottega range is completed by a wide selection of fruit and cream liqueurs.
The company distributes its products in 165 countries around the world. For many years, Bottega S.p.A. has been firmly committed to sustainability, which has led to real and concrete results in reducing its impact on the environment, society and the economy. The book ‘The 100 Prosecco recipes’ by Sandro Bottega, published by Mondadori, is a journey through the hills of Prosecco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where tradition, research and authenticity come together in the name of taste. It is a collection of recipes, from aperitifs to desserts, accompanied by many stories and interesting facts.
The culinary tradition of this area has been able to combine what nature offers spontaneously with agricultural and livestock products, giving rise to a creative cuisine made up of combinations and fusions of flavours and aromas and new cooking methods, always in the name of simplicity and authenticity. Proud of his region's food and wine, landscape, technology and artistic heritage, Sandro Bottega wanted to pay tribute to the honest, hard-working people who live there and who have created and preserved its culture.
