Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is an Italian sparkling wine with vital elegance and fruity, floral aromas
There are currently four types of Prosecco DOCG:
DOCG. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is a DOCG sparkling wine produced exclusively in the hills of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, from the Glera vine, which is grown in the 15 municipalities of the appellation. The permitted yield is 13.5 t per hectare and each winery, skilfully blending the grapes from the various micro-zones of the territory, creates the cuvèe ambassadors of its own philosophy. Conegliano Valdobbiadene can be tasted in Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry and Dry versions, which are distinguished by their residual sugar.
DOCG ‘RIVE’. The term ‘Rive’ indicates, in local parlance, the slopes of the steep hills that characterise the territory. This typology highlights the different expressions of Conegliano Valdobbiadene, and is obtained from the steepest and most vocated vineyards with grapes from a single municipality or fraction thereof, in order to enhance the characteristics that the territory gives to the wine. There are 43 Rive in the denomination, and each expresses a different soil, exposure and microclimate peculiarity. In the Rive, production is 13 tonnes per hectare, the grapes are harvested exclusively by hand and the vintage is indicated on the label.
DOCG “CARTIZZE”. The qualitative pinnacle of the denomination, Cartizze comes from a sub-zone regulated since 1969 of just 107 hectares of vineyard, lying between the steepest hills of San Pietro di Barbozza, Santo Stefano and Saccol, in the commune of Valdobbiadene. A perfect combination of microclimate and ancient soils. The olfactory approach is characterised by a complexity of aromas, reminiscent of apple and pear, citrus fruits, the intensity of peach and apricot, touching hints of rose, with hints of almond in the aftertaste. The flavour is harmonious and elegant, with great softness and freshness, supported by a light, fine perlage.
DOCG ‘ON YEASTS’. This is the name of the traditional bottle-fermented Prosecco, also known in the local dialect as ‘col fondo’ or ‘sur lie’, the first version with bubbles born in these hills. The yeasts that give the type its name are those that have fallen to the bottom of the bottle, where re-fermentation takes place, according to the ancient method of sparkling wine-making that is much sought after by consumers today. It comes in the Brut nature version and is a fresh, cloudy sparkling wine with very fine bubbles. Compared to the classic Prosecco Superiore, the apple notes are less pronounced, while there are broader and more complex olfactory sensations, supported by the classic hint of bread crust given by the yeasts.
There are also 2 minor types, in which case the term Prosecco is not followed by the adjective Superiore:
FRIZZANTE. A type that involves a second refermentation in an autoclave, like sparkling wine, but with a slightly lower pressure: the maximum can be 2.5 bar, while for sparkling wine the minimum is 3. After a rather short re-fermentation period, the result is a fresh, lively wine with less demanding bubbles, with very pleasant and drinkable characteristics.
TRANQUILLO. This is the lesser-known version, a true niche. It is obtained from the densest and least productive vineyards, where the grapes are harvested when well ripe. The colour is a delicate straw yellow, the aromas are of apple, pear, almond and thousand-flower honey.
