La Strada Del Prosecco

[Ara Kistner]

Productionis surprisingly only a little more than 100 years old and dates from the late 1800s when the wine first underwent secondary fermentation to become the sparkling drink we all love today.

Pliny mentioned it in his 'Historia Naturalis' while in 1754 a certain Aureliano Acanti in 'Roccolo Ditirambo' poetically said "And just now I wish to sacrifice my mouth to that apple-aromatic Prosecco".

The wine itself must be made with a minimum of 85% Glera grape with the rest to include any of the following: Verdiso, Bianchetto Trevigiana, Perera, Glera Lunga, Chardonnay and Pinot.

The official description of the product identifies a drink which is fresh and elegant on the palate, with a brilliant straw yellow colour, fine persistent perlage and aromas of white flowers, apple and pear.

This change came about when this historical zone of prosecco production (including Asolo) was awarded 'Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita' status to differentiate itself from Prosecco DOC which is now produced, and not without a little perplexion by some, into the rest of Veneto and even Friuli to include the tiny hamlet of 'Prosecco' near Trieste.

The heart of the Veneto region is a straight line due west from Venice taking in Padova and Verona before arriving at Lake Garda. But the wood for the Venetian ships came from Cadore in the province of Belluno, today outdoor sports reign.

The first event was held in late May in Abruzzo and the location was the marvellous Podere Santa Lucia with the wine originating from the Colline Pescaresi, Colline Teramane, Terre dell'Aquila and Terre di Chieti.

The 2023 vintage was of interest, both Superior and Reserve from these 4 exclusive areas which now constitute the top of the Abruzzo quality pyramid. Let's take each province one by one.

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October typically sees Milan become the International Capital of Wine promoting not just wine culture but also fashion and design and other excellences it is world-famous for.

Cortestrada Prosecco works wonders with seafood.The bright citrus and green apple notes pair beautifully with light seafood dishes like shrimp cocktail, oysters, ceviche, or simply prepared fish fillets. The bubbly cuts through any richness.

Not far from here, Cartizze is the one hill with the perfect combination of microclimate and soil, granting the production of the best prosecco, the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Cartizze.

Along the road, you can visit one of the Wineries producing prosecco. I visited La Tordera, which is located in Vidor, a few kilometers south of the road. If you want to learn more, read my post:

From here you can take a detour leading you to discover the Prealps area. It is a pleasant road with some lovely stops. Especially in Spring and Autumn, the spectacle of nature is granted. The road passes the villages of Combai, Follina, and Cison di Valmarino.

Combai is a tiny village surrounded by steep hills, planted with grapevines and chestnuts. In fact, the main event here is the sagra dei marroni, Chestnut Festival. Also, when in Combai, do not miss a visit to the small shop La Bottega di Combai. Here you can find all the best local products: honey, preserves, jams, sauces, beers, wines, cheeses, etc.

Or, you can proceed towards the lakes of Revine Lago (two small lakes where you can bathe in summer, hike, or visit the Livelet Archeological Park, with the reconstruction of an environment typical of this area between the Neolithic, Copper Age and Bronze Age).

Not far from here, if you like dairy products you must stop at the Cheese Bar of Latteria Perenzin. Here, you can grab a bite, book cheese tastings, and buy some local products (not only cheese). I hope to come back one day to visit the factory.

Refrontolo. Here, the must-see is called one of the few water mills still working in Italy, the Molinetto della Croda. The visit requires little time but I enjoy the view each time I go there.

Soligo is the village of the namesake Dairy Factory, well known for their milk, butter and cheese. When I was a kid, and not yet lactose intolerant, I loved their Fratino, drink made with milk and low-fat cocoa. Whenever I see it at the supermarket, I feel so nostalgic! PS the name fratino means little friar, cause it seems the drink was invented by some friars as a snack.

Farra di Soligo/Col San Martino is the last stretch of the road. Here you can stop at the small church of San Vigilio (dating back to the X century, but restored a couple of times) and have a nice walk along the Strada delle Vedette, the lookout path. During the First World War, it was, in fact, the place where the Austro-Hungarian army could observe the movements along the Piave line. The path is long about 15 km. Matteo and I decided just to follow its first stretch, the most panoramic one, that led us to admire the beautiful prosecco hills from a privileged position.

There are still some landmarks I have to visit in the area, but for now, I think the highlights of the Prosecco road itinerary are well covered. I promise to update from time to time this article with new material. ?

Il successivo tratto di strada fino a Refrontolo si snoda tra un susseguirsi di scorci collinari. Nei pressi del paese si pu vedere la Villa Battaglia-Spada del secolo XVII. Poco oltre il centro, in direzione Solighetto, una breve deviazione conduce all'incantevole Molinetto della Croda.

Arrivati a Solighetto, scopriamo la settecentesca Villa Brandolini. Una rapida escursione conduce al tempietto di San Gallo sull'omonimo colle da cui si pu godere di una straordinaria vista panoramica. Superata Farra di Soligo, si arriva a Col San Martino dominata dalle medievali Torri di Credazzo e dal gioiello architettonico della Chiesetta di San Vigilio.

Oltrepassati Santo Stefano e San Pietro di Barbozza si arriva infine a Valdobbiadene, dove si conclude il nostro viaggio. Un'ultima passeggiata in centro offre la possibilit di ammirare alcuni edifici dal sapore neoclassico come il Municipio, il maestoso campanile settecentesco e il Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta.

Our main residence is located in the village of Miane, on the Strada del Prosecco, a UNESCO heritage site, surrounded by beautiful hills and wineyards . You can start your day with a swim in the newly built swimming pool and enjoy breakfast in the garden.

The properties share a 1500 sqm garden and enjoy a mountain view. All properties have an independent entrance. Set in a spacious, quiet and green surroundings, there are plenty of opportunities to go for walks in the nature, or cycling. If you like swimming in nature, you will enjoy the nearby lakes.

We also have an apartment available in Venice. So if you like you could combine your stay in the prosecco hills with a couple of nights in 'La Serenissima' and enjoy our newly renovated apartment, right behind the Canal Grande, in lively Cannaregio. A neighbourhood with a local vibe because most of the "Veneziani" live there.

If you enjoy nature and sports, you will find plenty of opportunities to go for walks in nature, ride a (race or mountain) bike, swimming in the nearby lakes, horse riding, rafting, kite and wind surfing, paragliding.

If you love culture, you can visit the abbey of Follina built in 1300, the middle age castle in Cison di Valmarino (Castelbrando) the historic cities of Vittorio Veneto, Asolo and Treviso or the Palladian Villas.

We care about sustainability, the local community and the environment. We have placed solar panels and tanks to collect water. Also, we ask our guests to separate the garbage in the different containers. In our garden we grow fruits and vegetables. In our B&B Ernestina we serve as much as possible locally sourced food.

The highest quality Prosecco, an extra dry sparkling white wine, has been produced here since the 18th century. The vineyards had to be managed on steep slopes; it was done by using grassy terraces (ciglioni) and applying the bellussera method to get the maximum out of the lands.

Oh no, not another vineyard. That was my first thought when the Prosecco Hills were inscribed on the World Heritage list in 2019. Not really an enthusiastic reaction. But is it justified? Well, vineyards are an over-represented category. But we are in Italy, so good food can be expected and I can taste a wine I didn't know well before. Reasons enough to spend a long weekend in the Veneto and tick off a new WHS. So in September 2021, I set off on a 5-hour drive to the Prosecco Hills.

The inscription was highly controversial, a secret ballot was needed to overrule the "not inscribe" recommendation by ICOMOS in 2018. One year later, an amended proposal with a significantly reduced core zone was inscribed.

The focus is on the scenic landscape with its steep vineyards and small hilltop villages. The production sites and wine cellars are not explicitly mentioned in the description and obviously do not contribute to the OUV of the site. In this respect, the Prosecco Hills differs, for example, from the French "Champagne Hillsides, Houses and Cellars". The larger villages at the foot of the steep hills are not included, nor are the eponymous towns of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. And rightly so, the cultural heritage here - historic town centres, churches and monasteries - is not outstanding and is below the level of other World Heritage sites in Italy.

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