…might be right now, with autumn settling in, and when holiday parties and meals are on the horizon. To be clear, there is really no time when enjoying Prosecco Superiore DOCG isn’t a good idea, even though you might wish to spend a bit less money on more ordinary Prosecco DOC on a Tuesday night—as opposed to a Saturday night or on a holiday. There’s no doubt that “The Good Stuff” that’s grown and made in the gorgeous hillside vineyards around the towns of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano deserves the “Superiore” in its name. However, there is no need to talk up Prosecco Superiore DOCG by talking down ordinary Prosecco DOC. All that is needed is to explain the differences so that consumers understand them and taste a bottle of Superiore DOCG from a top producer. After that, no savvy consumer will ever again just order “a glass of Prosecco.”
On four separate occasions I’ve been fortunate to visit the beautiful region around Valdobbiadene and Conegliano (and I’m hardly the only one who regards it as beautiful: the gorgeous swath of hillside vineyards was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019). The four trips resulted in multiple articles explaining the reasons why Prosecco Superiore DOCG is a superior sparkling wine by comparison to Prosecco DOC, so there’s no reason for me to detail all of that again. The short version is simply this: Vines in the DOCG region in the vicinity of Valdobbiadene are tended by hand on steep hills as opposed to the flatlands where vines for most DOC Proseccos are planted, pruned, and harvested by machines. Hillside soils provide better drainage but fewer organic nutrients due to erosion, both of which are factors reducing yields but enhancing quality. I could go on, but that’s the heart of the matter.
Those who know a fair amount about wine are aware that there are exceptions to almost any proposition, yet it is true that almost every Prosecco Superiore DOCG is better than almost any Prosecco DOC. Every bit as important is this: Most renditions of Prosecco Superiore DOCG are priced within $10 or $15 of most DOC bottlings, which makes them well worth the trade-up for many occasions. Moreover, the very best producers of Prosecco Superiore DOCG don’t charge significantly more for their wines than their less successful counterparts. Consequently, “the good stuff” from the top producers in this category stand as strikingly high-value sparklers.
The trick is – of course – knowing who the top producers are. To keep this article to a reasonable length, I’ll only profile two of my favorites here: Merotto and Bortolomiol. I’ve visited both wineries twice, and have also tasted their Proseccos from many vintages in the USA, so I know I’m pointing you to the Good Stuff from two of the very best houses in the region.
Merotto:
Graziano Merotto and his wife Rosella started their enterprise in 1972, with no house on the property and just 1,400 square meters and only about 600 vines. That’s not exactly starting from nothing—but it is pretty damned close. Today production ranges from 600,000 to 650,000 bottles per year, so the growth of Merotto is as impressive as the quality of the wines. Graziano studied viticulture and winemaking at the famous (and utterly charming) wine school in Conegliano, and was taken on as a protégé by the head teacher, who evidently had a good eye for talent. The facilities here remain rather modest, as do the proprietors, but a beautiful new tasting room makes this a must-visit address. On to the wines, in the order in which they were presented to me on my last visit. Prices are approximate based on worldwide listings. Enotec Imports brings some Merotto wines into the USA, but availability remains rather spotty. Readers are strongly advised to look for them wherever one lives or travels:
Merotto “Integral” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Millesimato Extra Brut ($20): The vintage (“Millesimato”) I tasted most recently was 2021, but the 2022 and 2023 are probably released by now. That’s not a matter of much consequence, however, as this is a sparkler that can improve with age. It is also worth noting that vintage dating isn’t considered a mark of prestige in Valdobbiadene as it is in Champagne. With just 2.7 grams of residual sugar, this is among the most taut and restrained Prosecco Superiore wines available, yet it is not austere or overly tart. Maceration on skins and 60 days on yeast lees after fermentation provide flavor complexity and a bit of roundness to the wine’s sensory impression, but this remains a sharp wine that’s strength is its clarity, linear energy, and subtle minerality. This is a long way from the sweet, fluffy stuff of supermarket Prosecco DOC. I love it. For the 2021: 92
Merotto “Bareta” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Brut ($24): This is not a vintage-designated wine, but that doesn’t mean it is a step down from the “Integral.” The key difference is 8 grams per liter of residual sugar, which is still well below the “Brut” ceiling of 12 GPL. It isn’t quite as striking a wine as the Integral, but not everybody wishes to be struck, and this hits a great balance point between restraint and generosity. The grape variety’s delicate floral character is more evident in this, with fruit recalling both Granny Smith and Golden apples. 93
Merotto “Colbelo” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Extra Dry ($22): This is a notably more expressive wine than either of the two reviewed above, with a more pronounced floral character and open, fruity flavors. With 16 grams per liter of sugar, it won’t seem “sweet” to most who taste it, though it will certainly seem generous and delectable. Although bone dry wines are more fashionable in most parts of the world, many vintners in Valdobbiadene and Conegliano believe an off-dry style like this is most favorable to the subtly floral grape (now officially called Glera rather than Prosecco so that the latter word can be protected as a geographic indicator). I didn’t always agree with that view, but over the years I’ve increasingly moved in the direction of agreement. I state this tentatively because there are exceptions—as with so many issues related to wine. But returning to this “Colbelo,” it is no less serious because of its balanced sweetness, and is arguably even more delicious than it would be without that very sweetness. 93
Merotto “la Primavera di Barbara” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Milesimato 2021 ($28): This vintage-dated wine is comprised of 90% Glera and 10% Perera (a local variety legally permitted for inclusion under the appellation regulations that is usually utilized to enhance aroma and is said to have pear-like flavor, as opposed to the apple and peach descriptors more common for Glera). With 21 grams per liter of sugar, this is notably sweet but certainly not cloyingly so, and a bit less sweet than most renditions of Cartizze, the sole “Cru” of Valdobbiadene (recently written about by my friend and WRO colleague Jessica Dupuy). It is also significantly less expensive than sparklers from Cartizze, where land prices are extremely high (and working conditions on the steep slopes especially difficult). Many will find this more “soft” and “broad” than overtly sweet, and will be loved by most who taste it. 92
Merotto “Castè” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Millesimato) Extra Dry 2021 ($26): This is a single-site wine made from a plot located just above the winery. With 12 grams per liter of residual sugar, this could have been labeled as “Brut,” but a designation of Extra Dry was chosen to distinguish this from the drier, top-of-the-line Cuvée del Fondatore Graziano Merotto. When tasted, it does not seem sweet, but rather shows great clarity and cleanliness of flavor, with classic notes of peaches and baked apples. Broad in feel on the palate and quite long in persistence of flavor, this shows an uncanny combination of flamboyance with classy integration and freshness. 93
Merotto “Cuvée del Fondatore Graziano Merotto” (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG) Millesimato Brut 2021 ($38): I have no doubt that the 2022 and 2023 renditions of this wine have already been released, but as with the “Integral” Extra Brut, it is made to improve, so buy any vintage you see. There are two reasons for this last clause: You should buy it if you see it because multiple vintages of this wine have been contenders for the best wine I’ve ever tasted from Glera made in the region. Second, the proof that it can not only hold but improve when this was presented to me alongside the 2018 vintage as well as the 2016, and the latter of these two was terrific—different from the 2021 due to maturity but no less wonderful in overall terms. The 2021 may now be at its peak, but it was already marvelous a year after it was vinified. A true brut wine with only 7 grams per liter of residual sugar, it still seems complete and compelling rather than austere, and also quite complex, with all of its aromatic and flavor characteristics in singing in harmony. This is the one wine I’d present to explode the prejudice of any pro-Champagne snob who thinks Glera and Prosecco are inherently second-rate sparklers. 94
Bortolomiol:
Founded by Giuliano Bortolomiol, who lived and thrived from 1922 to 2022, this is among Valdobbiadene’s most impressive estates in both appearance and performance. He is among the handful of most important figures in the history and development of the region and its high-end wines, with so many innovations and collaborative accomplishments to his credit that they can’t all be recounted here. Today, the estate is run by his three daughters, and it is arguably the single property you should see if you have only one opportunity to visit and taste in the region. The grounds are gorgeous, with nature interspersed with beautiful sculptures, and you could spend the better part of an entire day touring the “Parco della Filandetta” estate (incorporating a very old silk mill), strolling around the property and hiking in the nearby area. The tasting room is beautiful and very inviting, and the winemaking facility is spanking clean and very impressive. If my enthusiasm seems overly effusive, a visit will dismiss that impression. On to the wines:
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) Rive San Pietro di Barbozza “Grande Cuvée del Fondatore” Extra Brut Millesimato 2020 ($27): Tasted twice from different bottles on consecutive days, I found this utterly convincing and complete even with zero residual sugar. That’s a remarkable accomplishment, as the wine has real body and substance without the presence of sugar, and shows definition and acidic “cut” but is not at all austere nor overly tart. The effervescence is so fine that one can barely see it in the glass, yet it is evident—and enlivening—on the palate. 94
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) Rive di Col San Martino Extra Brut 70th Anniversary Millesimato 2020 ($29): Both of these first two wines were presented to me at the outset of my tasting at the estate, but only because they are bottled with zero residual sugar, which would work to their disadvantage if tasted after sweeter wines. However, tasted in the proper order, they are strikingly impressive. This is the more foamy and full-seeming of the two, with a bit more floral aroma and slightly richer mouthfeel, but the overall impression remains one of supreme elegance and subtlety. Anybody who believes that Glera and Prosecco are just forgettable sipping wines will turn bright red with embarrassment after tasting this intricate, beautiful wine. 94
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) “Prior” Brut Millesimato 2021 ($20): The word “Prior” means “1st” in this case, rather than the head of a monastery, and the significance is that the founder of this house was the first to produce drier wines. This is finished with just 8 to 10 grams per liter of sugar, which is well below the threshold for Brut designation. Quality is excellent, with a pleasant hint of citrus rind-like bitterness in the finish that lends complexity. Production quantity is significant at around 300,000 bottles, but this doesn’t taste anything like industrial DOC-level Prosecco. An outstanding product at a more-than-fair price; buy any vintage you can find. 92
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) “Ius Naturae” Organic Brut Millesimato 2021 ($23): Made from organically grown grapes that are all sourced from the estate’s vineyards, this is made in quite modest volume of about 16,000 bottles per year. Buy it if you see it. It shows lovely floral aromas recalling white springtime blossoms, followed by crisp flavors recalling green apples as well as orchard fruits. Very impressive. 92
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) “Bandarossa” Extra Dry Millesimato 2021 ($23): This wine results from collaboration with roughly 60 farmers who follow protocols regarding growing practices. Some have partnered with Bortolomiol for as long as 30 years, holding periodic meetings at the estate. As a lightly floral variety, Glera works beautifully with some residual sweetness, which amounts to about 15-18 grams per liter in this case. The balance of acidity and sweetness is impressively precise, and the result is foamy and fruity and fun—but without seeming at all un-serious. “Bandarossa” stems from a red mark or band used by the founder to mark prime bottles for enjoyment by friends and family. 91
Bortolomiol (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore) “Bandarossa Special Edition” Extra Dry Millesimato 2021 ($25): I’ve seen this designated as “Special reserve” online, but my notes from tasting at the winery indicate “Special Edition.” What matters is that this is comprised of 20 of the best wine lots from across the region, and the wine lives up to that sourcing. It is a bit more expressive in both aroma and flavor than the standard “Bandarossa” bottling. It will be more difficult to find, but is worth a search. 92