Conegliano Valdobbiadene

The production rules cite Roman settlers' gravestones, Venantius Fortunatus, the sixth-century poet born at Valdobbiadene, on the vines of his hills, and the statutes of Conegliano of 1282. The first written mention of Prosecco grown in these hills is by Francesco Maria Malvolti in 1772. By the mid-nineteenth century it was planted on its own; Count Balbi Valier selected the round-berried "Prosecco Balbi". In 1876 Italy's first school of viticulture and oenology opened at Conegliano, and from it came an experimental station in 1923. Professor De Rosa at Conegliano refined the tank (Martinotti) method in the second half of the twentieth century.

Producers formed a consortium in 1962; Italy's first wine road opened in 1966, and the DOC "Prosecco dei Colli di Conegliano Valdobbiadene" followed in 1969. The Veneto made the area Italy's first sparkling-wine district in 2003. In 2009 the hills became a DOCG, and in 2019 UNESCO inscribed them on the World Heritage List.

The zone covers the hills of 15 communes, among them Conegliano, Vittorio Veneto, Pieve di Soligo, Vidor and Valdobbiadene. Its relief is a set of long, narrow "hogback" ridges, running north-south in the south and east-west in the north, separated by valleys with small streams. The east-west ridges have steep south-facing slopes that catch the most sun. The Prealps block cold northern air, while the lagoon of Venice, 40 km away, keeps temperatures mild.

The soils come from uplifted sea beds reworked by glaciers and rivers: mostly sandstones and marls, alternating with moraine and alluvium, shallow and well drained. At night cool air slides down from the Prealps, giving wide day-night swings at ripening, and summer rain is higher than elsewhere in the province. UNESCO describes the grassy terraces, ciglioni, used since the seventeenth century, and the bellussera training system developed around 1880; rows follow the contour (girapoggio) against erosion. Cartizze is a 106 ha south-facing amphitheatre.

The rules say the hogback hills catch light, drain constantly and run warmer, so Glera, a grape that builds little sugar, reaches a balance of sugar and acid. Sandstone and marl with conglomerate and moraine give intense, fine aromas and a typical sapidity. Day-night swings build complex aromas and keep fixed acidity, above all malic acid, so the spumante stays fresh without aggressive acidity. Summer rain lets the vines grow a canopy that shades the bunches. The wine is straw yellow with green glints, lightly aromatic, with white fruit, field flowers and acacia. Cartizze recalls apple, pear, white flowers, wisteria and rose. A 1936 soil study at Conegliano already called the area suited to fruity, floral, sapid, dry whites.

The DOCG may be labelled Conegliano Valdobbiadene - Prosecco, Conegliano - Prosecco or Valdobbiadene - Prosecco. It is based on Glera, with up to 15% Verdiso, Bianchetta trevigiana, Perera and Glera lunga, old local grapes grown since the 1500s; small amounts of Pinot and Chardonnay are also traditional. More than 90% is spumante, made in tank. A frizzante may be made in tank or refermented in bottle, when the label must say "rifermentazione in bottiglia" and the wine may be hazy. A still wine also exists. The spumante may carry "sui lieviti" or "Rive" with a place name from the annex; Rive grapes must be picked by hand. "Superiore di Cartizze" is reserved for spumante from that subzone. The consortium advises serving at 6-8 °C.