Visting Prosseco

Day 2 – Prosecco

On Saturday we headed to the hills of Refrontolo and Valdobbiadene to visit top Prosecco makers.

Our guide was supposed to be an wine expert, having a degree in wine-making and being a professional sommelier, but apart from a very brief talk in the coach where she told us there were only two ways to make sparkling wine (I know of 5) she preferred to chat to the driver and ignore us.

The slow bus took 2.5 hours to get to our first stop, Vincenzo Toffoli, makers of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. 

Our host was the owner, who told us that here in the central Conegliano Valdobbiadene area rainfall was 1200mm, daytime temperature was 27-30C and at night 16-17C. They get cold air from the Alps and warm air fro the sea. Their vineyards on the hills face south. 

They started in 1964 by three brothers with 5Ha, and they now rent 22Ha more, planted 99.9% with Glera. 

Other varieties are (red) Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Marzemino and (white) Verdiso.

• We tasted
• Vincenzo anno 1603 Tranquillio 2018 Treviso DOC – this is not a sparkling wine, but it had some bubbles. Pleasant dry wine. €4.20
• Vincenzo anno 1603 Frizzante 2018 – this has 11%RS. This was the first sparkling wine, first made in 1969. Two closures are offered, a crown cap at €4.20 and a cork secured with string at €4.50.
• 7 Millesimi Spumante Extra Brut 2018. Lovely dry sparkling wine. €6.60
• 7 Millesimi Spumante Extra Brut 2018. From this year Extra Brut designation is allowed for Prosecco with less than 7gL sugar.
• 7 Millesimi Brut 2018 Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Really classy Prosecco €6.95
• Maria Spumante Extra Dry 2018. Enjoyable fizz €6.6
• Vincenzo 1 Ripasso Marzemino Veneto IGT €9. This still red had spent 2 months in barrel. Lovely smooth warming red with prune flavours.

We learned that from this year both the Extra Brut classification and Rosé Prosecco would be allowed

Then we departed for lunch at Osteria Dolcevista, in a position high on the Valdobbiadene hills, surrounded by vineyards with tremendous views.

View from restaurant balcony

But there was a problem. The head waiter was shrugging his shoulders and our guide was on her phone for a long time while we enjoyed the view from the garden.

At long last we were ushered past an open fire where thick steaks were being grilled, upstairs to a room with a balcony and large window.  

A good lunch, and good wines …..

…….but we spent a very long time there.

In the afternoon we visited Bisol who produce 47 million bottles of Prosecco annually. Now under the same ownership as Ferrari Trento, Bisol concentrate on Charmat method wines while Ferrari make traditional method sparklers.

Bisol have 55Ha of their own vineyards.

After a tour of the cellar, we sat outside at large round tables and tasted:- 

• Bisol Collection Crede Brut Prosecco Superior Valdobbiadene 2018 DOCG (€9.50) which was dry (7.5gL) and refreshing, tho’ rather neutral.

• Bisol Jeio Extra-Dry Prosecco Superior Valdobbiadene 2018 DOCG 11.5% (€7.50) Named after the nickname of the founder, this was fruity, rounded and delicious.

• Bisol Collection Extra-Dry Molera Prosecco Superior Valdobbiadene 2018 DOCG (€9.50). This comes from Bisol’s own vineyards, and is very drinkable, soft, rounded and fruity.

We finished with the most expensive, and sweetest.

• Cartizze Valdobbiadene Dry Superiore di Cartizze DOCG (€17.50). With 25gL RS this  was full bodied and ripe.

And then another 2.5 hours to return. We realised the guide hadn't taken us to two promised sights: ancient wine school and Molinetto della Croda an XVI water mill we'd driven pass the signpost to.

Malcolm phoned Pagus Tours and we didn't have that guide again.....

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