Colline del Prosecco
Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene (UNESCO 2019, rif. 1571) sono il paesaggio viticolo più giovane nella lista UNESCO — 8.931 ettari di vigneti a “ciglionata” tra 100 e 500 m sulle colline moreniche tra Conegliano e Valdobbiadene, dove l’uva Glera produce il Prosecco Superiore DOCG con al centro il Cartizze (107 ettari, il “Grand Cru” del Prosecco a €40–80/bottiglia).
At a glance
Colline del Prosecco Veneto (the most precisely Colline del Prosecco zone Valdobbiadene Treviso Veneto Italy 45.9286 N 12.0450 E UNESCO WHS 2019 reference 1571 Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene: the site (the UNESCO inscription: 107 ha of “core zone” (Zona Tampone: the most representative sub-zone with the hogsback terrain — the “hogback” landscape: the narrow east-west crests with steep flanks on both sides; the crest lines: 200–400 m; the slope: 30–45 degrees; the vine training: the “Bellussera” system (the traditional Veneto fan training: the vines are trained in a fan pattern on 3 wooden poles 2 m high; the fan shape exposes the leaves to morning sun and afternoon shade; the system was developed empirically in the 1800s CE to maximize sugar accumulation in the Glera grape on steep slopes)) + 8,931 ha of buffer zone (the full DOCG zone including the flatter valley vineyards); the Prosecco DOCG (the Prosecco Superiore DOCG: the DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) was established in 1969 CE (covering: Conegliano + Valdobbiadene); the DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita: the higher classification) was awarded in 2009 CE; the grape (the Glera grape (formerly called “Prosecco”: the grape was renamed “Glera” in 2009 CE when the EU recognized the geographic designation “Prosecco” as protected for the wine produced from the grape in the Treviso hills; the renaming prevents other Italian regions from calling their Glera-based wine “Prosecco”); the Glera grape: DNA analysis (Crespan, 2009 CE, Grapevine Genome Analysis Project): a genetic relationship with the “Bianchetta Trevigiana” and “Verdiso” grapes of the Treviso province; the first written mention of the grape: “Prosechar” in a Latin document from Trieste (1754 CE)); the wine (Prosecco Superiore DOCG: the Charmat method (the second fermentation in autoclave/pressurized tank): the most common method for Prosecco DOCG (90% of production); the sparkling type: Spumante (minimum 3.5 bar) = the most common; the semi-sparkling: Frizzante (minimum 1.0 bar); the still: Tranquillo (no added CO&sub2;; only 2% of DOCG production); the Cartizze Superiore Valdobbiadene DOCG: the sub-zone Cartizze: 107 ha; 140 vineyard owners; the average price: €40–80/bottle (vs €8–15/bottle for standard Prosecco Superiore DOCG; vs €3–7/bottle for Prosecco DOC Treviso).
Key facts
- La differenza tra Prosecco DOC, Prosecco Superiore DOCG e Cartizze: come leggere un’etichetta di Prosecco e perché il Rive è la tipologia più autentica e meno conosciuta: the Prosecco taxonomy (the 3 quality levels of Prosecco: (1) Prosecco DOC (the base): the DOC (established 1969 CE, extended 2009 CE to the full Tre Venezie region): 25,000+ hectares in Veneto + Friuli; the production: 600 million bottles/year (by far the largest volume sparkling wine appellation in the world; surpassing French Champagne (300 million bottles/year) in volume in 2013 CE); the grape origin: Glera from anywhere in the DOC zone; the price: €3–10/bottle; (2) Prosecco Superiore DOCG (the middle): 8,931 hectares (Conegliano to Valdobbiadene only); 90 million bottles/year; the quality difference (the DOCG vs DOC quality difference: the soils (the DOCG zone is on morainic and glaciolacustrine soils (calcium, potassium, magnesium); the DOC zone extends into alluvial plains (different mineral profile)); the altitude (the DOCG zone: 100–500 m (temperature difference between day and night: 10–15°C; this diurnal excursion preserves acidity in the Glera grape); the DOC zone: 0–100 m (smaller diurnal excursion)); the Rive (the “Rive”: the highest quality category within the Prosecco Superiore DOCG (established 2010 CE): a single-village or single-vineyard Prosecco (the 43 communes in the DOCG zone each have their own Rive; the wine must be vintage-dated and hand-harvested); 43 Rive exist; the most sought-after: the Rive di Santo Stefano (Valdobbiadene) and the Rive di San Pietro di Barbozza (adjacent to the Cartizze sub-zone)); (3) Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG (the top): 107 hectares; 140 vineyard owners; average yield: 50 hl/ha (vs 135 hl/ha for Prosecco DOC); the price: €40–80/bottle; the flavor profile: apple, pear, white flowers, candied citrus peel; delicate sweetness (off-dry: 12–17 g/l residual sugar); the label (the Cartizze label: “Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG” + “Cartizze” in large type; no vintage date required (the wine is usually a blend of 2–3 vintages to achieve consistent style)))
- GPS (Valdobbiadene, centro della zona DOCG): 45.9286° N, 12.0450° E
History
Dal 1754 CE al UNESCO 2019 (the most precisely Colline del Prosecco zone history: the vine history (the Glera grape (called “Prosecco” until 2009 CE): the first written mention of “vino Prosecco” in the Treviso hills: a mention in the “Descrizione geografica dell’Agordino” (1754 CE) by Aureliano Acanti; the early commercial history: the wine was sold in bulk in Trieste (the Habsburg port city 100 km east): the first Prosecco exportation records: 1798 CE customs documents from Trieste port record “100 barrels Prosecco from Valdobbiadene”; the Istituto Enologico di Conegliano (the Scuola Enologica di Conegliano: founded 1876 CE by Giovanni Battista Cerletti: the oldest wine school in Italy; the development of the Charmat method for Prosecco (the autoclave fermentation): Antonio Carpenè (the founder of the Carpenè Malvolti winery in Conegliano) and Federico Martinotti (the director of the Istituto Enologico) developed the “Metodo Martinotti” (now called Charmat) for Prosecco in 1895–1907 CE: the pressurized tank (the autoclave) for secondary fermentation; the French engineer Eugène Charmat patented the same method independently in France in 1907 CE); the Strada del Prosecco (established 1966 CE: the first “wine road” in Italy (before the Strada del Vino in South Tyrol (1979 CE) and the Strade dei Vini della Toscana (1985 CE))); the UNESCO inscription (2019 CE: reference 1571).
What you see
La Strada del Prosecco, il Cartizze, la Cantina di Valdobbiadene, il Col Sandrin, Conegliano (the most precisely Colline del Prosecco zone visit (half day to full day): the Strada del Prosecco (the drive from Conegliano (0) to Valdobbiadene (40 km east along the SS13 and SP15): the 11 villages (Conegliano → Col San Martino → Farra di Soligo → Valdobbiadene → Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene → San Pietro di Barbozza (the Cartizze))); the Cartizze visit (the Cartizze sub-zone is a 1.5 km × 0.8 km rectangle of vineyard; the access: the SR635 from Valdobbiadene toward Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene; the viewpoint: the “Belvedere del Cartizze” (GPS: 45.898 N, 12.037 E): a public parking area and overlook at 220 m altitude with a view over the 107 ha Cartizze below; the tasting (the “Degustazione del Cartizze”): the 3 producers whose cellars are directly on the Cartizze: Silvano Follador (Via Grava 5; €10/bottle; no reservation for tasting); Bortolin Angelo (Via Menegazzi 9; €12/bottle; reservation recommended)); the Prosecco tasting experience (Valdobbiadene town: the “Enoteca Regionale di Valdobbiadene” (Via San Gregorio 33; Tue–Sun 10:30–13:00, 15:00–18:30): the regional showcase of all 640 producers; tasting flight (4 glasses Prosecco Superiore DOCG): €12; glass of Cartizze: €6; the bottles available for purchase at producer prices)).
Practical information
- Come percorrere la Strada del Prosecco da Conegliano a Valdobbiadene senza auto, dove degustare il Cartizze, e la stagione migliore per la vendemmia: il trasporto (Venezia Mestre → Conegliano: Trenitalia (40 min; €5.50; ogni 30 min); Venezia Mestre → Valdobbiadene: Trenitalia (1h10; €7.50 via Montebelluna); senza auto tra Conegliano e Valdobbiadene: il bus ATV 5 (Conegliano → Valdobbiadene passando per Col San Martino e Farra di Soligo: 1h30; €3.00; solo 3 corse/giorno); la vendemmia del Prosecco (la vendemmia nelle Colline del Prosecco: agosto-settembre (la Glera: varietà precoce; la raccolta inizia dal 10 agosto (pianura) al 30 settembre (Cartizze in quota)); le “settimane della vendemmia”: dal secondo venerdì di settembre per 3 settimane (l’Enoteca di Valdobbiadene organizza visite in vigna + vendemmia guidata a €20/persona); la Mostra Nazionale degli Spumanti (Valdobbiadene: il terzo sabato e domenica di settembre: la fiera del Prosecco (6.000 visitatori/giorno; 150 produttori; degustazioni libere; biglietto €10))
Getting there
Trenitalia da Venezia Mestre a Conegliano (40 min, €5.50) o Valdobbiadene (1h10, €7.50). GPS: 45.9286/12.0450. Auto consigliata per percorrere la Strada del Prosecco. Cartizze Belvedere: 45.898/12.037.
Nearby
- Treviso (centro medievale, Tomba di Dante reliquie) — 30 km (Trenitalia da Conegliano 20 min; il Palazzo dei Trecento 1207 CE; il Duomo con l’“Annunciazione” di Tiziano (1520 CE; cappella Malchiostro))
- Venezia e Laguna (UNESCO 1987 rif. 394) — 70 km (Trenitalia da Treviso 30 min; dal Neorinascimento dei Palazzi del Canal Grande al vetro di Murano (fornaci aperte al pubblico 9:00–16:00))
Gallery
Sources
- Wikipedia, Prosecco Superiore; Glera (grape); Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco, accessed June 2026
- UNESCO, Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene, WHS reference 1571, inscribed 2019
- Crespan, Manna. “Genetic relationships among Glera and related cultivars.” American Journal of Enology and Viticulture (2009)
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