Prosecco
The history of Prosecco wine begins in Conegliano Valdobbiadene, a hilly area of rare beauty located 50 km from Venice and 100km from the Dolomites, where man has been dedicating himself to viticulture for centuries, creating a unique landscape, which beacame in 2019 an UNESCO world heritage site.
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin) is the guarantee that every single bottle comes from an area that involves only 15 municipalities included between the two production capitals of Prosecco: Conegliano, with the first Enological School of Italy and with the first Experimental Institute for Viticulture, and Valdobbiadene, with the greatest concentration of high hill vineyards.
For producing Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG only the following grape varieties are allowed: Glera for a minimum of 85%, local grape varieties (Verdiso, Bianchetta, Perera and Glera Lunga) or international (Pinot and Chardonnay) up to a maximum of 15%. The production of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG follows the disciplinary that regulates the production of the grapes, their fermentation and the fermentation process. The sparkling wine in this area is produced with the «Martinotti Method» which involves refermentation in autclave and allows to enhance the primary and secondary aromas, the fruity and floral aromas, while preserving the elegance, vitality and freshness of the wine. However, there are producers who make a Prosecco with the Classic Method – rare – or with the refermentation in the bottle – Prosecco Colfondo-. Conegliano Valdobbiadene can be tasted in the Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry and Dry versions, which are distinguished by the residual sugar in the wine.
The name of the territory – Conegliano Valdobbiadene – must appear on the label and be in the foreground. Both names or just one can be indicated and can be followed by the word Prosecco accompanied, in the case of Spumante- sparkling- , by the adjective Superiore. In much lower percentages than Spumante wine, Conegliano Valdobbiadene is in fact also produced in the Frizzante and Tranquillo types. In this case the term Prosecco is not followed by the adjective Superiore.
In 2009, the Italian Ministry of Agriculture classified this area as the Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin (DOCG), the highest Italian quality level. It is flanked by the DOCG Asolo and the DOC Prosecco, extended over 9 provinces of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, created to protect the wine heritage of Prosecco and protect it in the world.
Are you ready to discover this fantastic territory with splendid landscapes and to taste the most famous bubbles in the world? Book one of our tours starting from Verona, Venice or other cities in northern Italy. Our tours take place only in the historic and most characteristic area of Conegliano Valdobbiadene and in particular we will visit the Cartizze area, a very small hill of 108 hectares – or only 1 square km of surface – in the heart of Valdobbiadene where Prosecco DOCG Superiore di Cartizze -the most exclusive version, the qualitative apex of the Prosecco world- is produced.