FEATURE/Valdobbiadene Prepares for a Superior Prosecco Harvest.

Feature Editors

FEATURE...

VALDOBBIADENE, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Aug. 20, 2001

In the steep hills North of Venice, grape clusters that produce Italy's most popular sparkling wine are ripening to perfection.

The 2001 Prosecco harvest is expected to commence with in this next month. This growing season has been exceptionally good for the Prosecco grape which has been harvested on these green slopes for the last 1000 years.

"All is ready in the hills for the first harvest of the 3rd millenium," winery and vineyard owner Gianluca Bisol enthusiastically stated. "What happens in the hills determines the quality and so far, the weather has been a text book example. Between the beneficial differences in temperature during night and day and the occasional rains, we foresee a desirable harvest." The Bisol family has been growing grapes in this region that is at the base of the pre-Alps since the 16th Century. Today, Bisol Winery owns roughly 125 acres of highly prized vineyards spread out on 16 different farms that stretch between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano.

Prosecco thrives in the hills of Valdobbiadene due to the region's unique climate and environment. The sloping, terraced ridges have the perfect composition of soils mixed with the balance of ample sunlight and frequent rains. This ensures that the grapes mature properly and develop an aromatic freshness that is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Prosecco.

"It is expected that this year will have less quantity but higher quality, due to a good blossom in the Spring," added Gianluca's father Antonio. "The last few weeks before harvest are the most important. If things continue like they have been, this year could prove to be a real classic." Antonio Bisol is the president of the Consorzio di Tutela del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene, which represents over 3,200 growers and 70 wineries.

Bisol harvests its grapes each year at three different periods. The first harvest, expected to occur the last week of August, is of Pinot Nero, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc; the second harvest during the middle of September is when the picking of Prosecco starts and is the largest of the three; the last grapes to be picked are Cartizze (the most expensive vineyards in all of Italy) in late October, this is a small micro-zone that ripens slower and is known for its superior quality.

"We foresee the harvest of Prosecco beginning on the 18th of September, four days later than last year," Gianluca Bisol pronounced. "Every grape is hand picked, in order to ensure that only the finest clusters make it to the press. Each vineyard has three separate sweeps of pickings that last for about two weeks to assure that no fruit will arrive to the winery before its time. We make precautions to bring every cluster to the winery in a gentle a manner; the grapes are put in small cases of 16 kg to avoid the crushing of the berries."

Prosecco Spumante di Valdobbiadene is generally a light straw-colored, sparkling wine with a delicate floral bouquet and a refreshing palate reminiscent of apples and peaches. Its structure overwhelms the palate with a velvety softness while tingling with sapidity. Prosecco has less alcohol than most Champagnes, which means it can be enjoyed by most people for a wide variety of occasions.

The Bisol winery is one of the most respected and acclaimed producers of sparkling wine in all of Italy. One of the characteristics that distinguishes Bisol from all of the rest is that they control all three levels over production. Typically, a Prosecco producer will specialize in only one the three levels of production; either vineyards management, winemaking, or bottling/distribution. From the dirt to the bottle the Bisol family has complete control of its wines.

Producing one of the most elegant sparklers, Bisol has aligned itself with the finest restaurants and luxury hotels of Italy and abroad. The Danieli Hotel of Piazza San Marco in Venice, the Valentino Restaurant of Los Angeles, the Dorchester Hotel in London, and many of Europe's foreign embassies regularly toast with Bisol. The Bisol winery also has a long partnership with Ferrari Automobiles as their official wine.

It has only been in the last few years that Bisol has been distributed in the United States. Although the winery puts quality before quantity and only produces a mere 40,000 cases annually, they are excited to begin a considerable increase in exports to the U.S. market. Bisol wines are part of the highly esteemed portfolio of Vias Imports in New York City. Vias has a strong reputation in the wine industry for representing some of Italy's best small producers.