Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Prosecco de luxe

There is no doubt that the protected designation of origin Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG is the major driving force for the entire Prosecco sector. It is above all the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG that stands for high-quality sparkling wine enjoyment at a fair price. The sparkling wines impress many people with their floral fruitiness. However, there are also really serious varieties that shine with fine autolysis notes thanks to traditional bottle fermentation and can compete with the world's great sparkling wines.

Let's take a deeper dive into the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Not only geography and climate, but also the four different types of Prosecco from the area are a central theme. And, of course, the economic development of the area, which was awarded DOC status in 1969 and then DOCG status in 2009.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Good to know

Conegliano Valdobbiadene: geography and climate

While Prosecco DOC extends across both the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine-growing regions, the Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG area is exclusively rotten in the Veneto. In the province of Treviso, to be precise. It takes its name from the two towns of Conegliano in the south and Valdobbiadene in the north, between which the growing area extends over 15 municipalities:

• Conegliano
• San Vendemiano
• Colle Umberto
• Vittorio Veneto
• Tarzo
• Cison di Valmarino
• San Pietro di Feletto
• Refrontolo
• Susegana
• Pieve di Soligo
• Farra di Soligo
• Follina
• Miane
• Vidor
• Valdobbiadene

The further north you go, the greater the influence of the foothills of the Alps. And that means winds and cooler nights. This ensures that the grapes ripen more slowly, especially on the steeper vineyards. As a result, they develop intense aromas, but also retain their acidity. As a result, the sparkling wines ultimately shine with their full fruit and fresh liveliness. Of course, there are also significant differences depending on the location and production method. Which brings us directly to the different styles of Prosecco from Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Styles at a glance

For consumers, the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Consortium distinguishes four different Prosecco styles. However, a more differentiated division into six styles is available to the specialist trade, which we will also take up here.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore

The great classic from the region. This Prosecco can be produced using traditional bottle fermentation, but does not have to be. As everywhere in the DOCG, Glera is the permitted main grape variety, which must make up at least 85% of the sparkling wine. A yield of 13.5 tons per hectare is permitted. The sparkling wines are fresh, harmonious and pleasantly fruity. Around 96 million bottles of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore are produced every year.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Rive

43 municipalities are permitted to produce Prosecco Rive in the DOCG - and to mention the respective Rive on the label. The grapes may only come from a single municipality. The yield is limited to 13 tons per hectare. In addition, only grapes from one year may be used. It must therefore be a vintage Prosecco. The vines usually grow on the steepest slopes of the respective municipalities. The taste of a Prosecco Rive cannot be generalized, as the sparkling wines can vary greatly depending on the orientation, soil conditions and microclimate of the vineyard. Around 3.5 million bottles of Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Rive are bottled every year.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze

When Cartizze appears on the Prosecco label, the grapes come from the DOCG sub-area of the same name, which covers just 106 hectares. It is considered the area of origin for Prosecco. A Cartizze usually has intense notes of peach and apricot. A hint of rose petals can also be detected - as well as nuances of almonds. The sparkling wines are very soft, yet fresh and have a light and fine perlage.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Frizzante

The charming sparkling wine version of the DOCG, very fresh and fruity and a real treat for the palate. A good 2 million bottles are produced every year.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Sui Lieviti

Often also called “Col Fondo”. Here the name says it all. “Sui Lieviti” means ‘on the lees’, ‘Col Fondo’ means ‘at the bottom’. In other words, a PetNat in which the yeast remains in the bottle after the second fermentation. This is why a Col Fondo is always easy to recognize by the crown cap. Apple notes and mineral hints come into play here - and very little residual sugar. Compared to other Prosecchi, however, it is a rarity, as only around 193,000 bottles are brought onto the market each year.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Tranquillo

Even rarer, however, is the still wine from the DOCG Conegliano Valdobbiadene, which is traditionally called Tranquillo, with around 77,000 bottles produced each year. The white wine is pleasantly bitter, but also has a nice spiciness - and of course the charming fruity notes for which Prosecco is so loved.

Degrees of sweetness for Prosecco from Conegliano Valdobbiadene

• Extra Bruto: Dosage with 0 to 6 grams of residual sugar per liter

• Bruto: Dosage with 6 to 12 grams of residual sugar per liter

• Extra Dry: Dosage with 12 to 17 grams of residual sugar per liter

• Dry/Seco: dosage with 17 to 32 grams of residual sugar per liter

Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Sparkling wines in detail

Conegliano Valdobbiadene: Economic factor wine

Of the 486 million bottles produced annually in the entire Prosecco region, an average of 103 million bottles come from Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Although the area is considerably smaller - and there is a significantly lower maximum yield per hectare. In other words, the Prosecchi from Conegliano Valdobbiadene are a very significant economic factor for the region and the Italian wine industry itself. 60.2% of the sparkling wines from the DOCG are sold in Italy itself, but 39.8% go to over 150 countries around the world.

With over 10 million bottles, the UK is ahead of the pack - closely followed by Germany, which imports 21% of the annual sales volume. Switzerland is slightly behind in third place with 13.9%. However, this still accounts for a trade value of over 33.4 million euros. Business with Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG is therefore booming. One reason for this is the DOCG status itself, which stands for superior quality. But there is also the fact that there are different styles in different price segments. And that the sparkling wines are very well known all over the world. This means that they almost sell themselves.

Your selling points for Prosecco

• Enormous range of different sparkling wines
• Largely very good price-pleasure ratio
• Every quality level is catered for
• Ideal as an aperitif and for toasting
• High quality and yet compatible with the masses