Let yourself get fascinated by the prosecco world! find out about its cultivation techniques, the places where it grows, its features and some “secrets”!

Prosecco tradition goes back as far as 2000 years ago. Original vines grow in north-east Italy and were known during the Roman Empire. Back then people would grow vines among the karstic hills around Trieste, in a place called Prosecco. Here they produced a wine called Puccino, which was later called Prosecco.

The grapes used for producing Prosecco come from Glera vines, initially called Prosecco. Its loosely packed white grapes, with long and fine peduncle and delicate berries are golden yellow. The vine shoots are nut brown. Sprouts are vertically oriented. During vegetation cycles topping and pruning operations are carried out. In this way it is possible to check the quantitative production as well as help the development of aromatic qualities, which will then enrich the aroma of the wine.
Rules prescribe that spacing is at least 2.300 vines per hectare; they allow that other native vines such as Verdiso, Perera or Bianchetta are planted in the vineyard in a percentage lower than 15%. Cultivation techniques are the classical ones: double Gouyot is typically used, whereas pergola (arbours) is not admitted.

Prosecco is a D.O.C. wine so producing areas are strictly limited to places where just the ideal environmental conditions are to be met.
The following provinces are authorized to produce Prosecco: Treviso, Venezia, Belluno, Vicenza, Padova (Veneto region), which represent 80% of the total production. Furthermore, the 4 provinces of Trieste, Pordenone, Gorizia and Udine (Friuli Venezia Giulia region) are included and cover the 20% of the total production.
Vines growing in different areas of this large territory may be producing wines with different aromatic shades. The climate in this territory, though, is generally mild: on the northern side the Alps protect the area from cold Nordic winds, the hills are warmed by the winds blowing from the Adriatic Sea, which bring useful rain to develop vines and mild temperature. Sharp shifts in temperatures from day to night are typical of the end of summer: they help the development of aromatic shades while grapes are ripening. The soil has alluvial origins: it’s typically muddy, rich in clay, mineral sediments and micro-elements. All this makes the perfect environment for fine spumante grapes.

In the 90s Prosecco started becoming more and more popular. By then it was known as Prosecco IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica). Afterwards, on July 17th, 2009, it received the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) designation and its production started being ruled by stricter regulations which prescribe a limit to 1800 kg per hectare and set a precise list of authorized areas of cultivation.
Furthermore, when the processes of harvesting, wine-making and bottling are carried out in the Province of Treviso or Trieste, it is also possible to label a Prosecco DOC with a TREVISO or TRIESTE designation.

SUPERIORE DI CARTIZZE VALDOBBIADENE D.O.C.G., PROSECCO SUPERIORE CONEGLIANO-VALDOBBIADENE D.O.C.G. and ASOLO PROSECCO SUPERIORE D.O.C.G. are the 3 wine-making districts of Treviso and Trieste’s geographical areas.
Let’s find out more about these three micro-areas that produce the best Prosecco wine ever.

On July 9^th, 1876 King Vittorio Emanuele signed a decree and authorized the first Scuola di Vinicoltura e di Enologia (Wine-making and Oenology School) to be opened. The headquarters of the school were opened on September 24^th, 1924 and since then Mr. Antonio Carpenè started improving the Charmat or Martinotti method. Glera grapes are harvested and later softly pressed, in order to extract the “mosto fiore” (the most refined and important juice). The soft wort is left in stainless steel barrels to decant for 10/12 hours at a temperature of 5/8°C. After this process the wort is filtered and mixed to enzymes that start the alcoholic fermentation. It lasts for 15/20 days at a temperature of 18/20°C. At the end of this wine-making process the result is a basic wine, which has to be filtered and purified. This basic wine is then mixed to other kinds of basic wines, in order to obtain different wine combinations. The couvèe process is carried out in stainless steel autoclaves, where yeast and sugar are added to the liquid. This process will last at least 30 days, when the wine will be ready to be sold.