Technical Details
Estate
Giancarlo Moretti Polegato’s esteemed Villa Sandi is headquartered in a majestic 1622 Palladian-style villa in the heart of the Prosecco region. The Villa represents the confluence of art and architecture that has manifested itself in the Venetian landscape for many centuries.
Villa Sandi produces wines for every occasion, from the approachable, everyday Prosecco DOC Treviso to the mid-range Prosecco Superiore Valdobbiadene DOCG, and its flagship cru La Rivetta Prosecco Cartizze DOCG, which comes from the finest vineyards in the heart of the Prosecco region. Parts of the estate suitable for red grapes produce a small volume of Pinot Noir that colors the Il Fresco Rosé. Whether served as an aperitif, at the end of a meal, or with any course in between, Prosecco’s natural acidity and fresh taste complements any meal.
Villa Sandi employs a unique “on-demand” production technique that ensures their Prosecco is always fresh and lively. After harvest, not all of the juice is fermented immediately. Villa Sandi stores some of the unfermented juice at 32°F. When more wine is needed, the temperature of the must is brought to 59-61°F and yeast cultures added, then fermented and bottled. This process allows Villa Sandi to deliver the freshest wines possible, emphasizing the fresh floral and fruity notes that Prosecco is known for.
Tasting notes
The Cartizze microzone in the heart of the famous Valdobbiadane region provides the most sought after Glera vines in the DOCG. Tasting this wine, you can understand why. The grapes which come from Villa Sandi’s La Rivetta Estate are pressed and then the must is cooled to zero degrees centigrade and then slowly heated to encourage a slow fermentation until the right balance of atmospheric pressure, sweetness and acidity is achieved. 2018 was a vintage with ideal conditions for generating intense aromas and acidity. This has extraordinary perfume on the nose, with hints of soft and ripe pear, banana, and acacia flowers. The palate and mousse are deft, light and delicate and the off-dry sweetness is exquisitely counter-balanced by the burst of natural acidity. At the same this rare Italian Prosecco is not remotely lacking in length or persistency. What also stands out is the purity of the floral fruit with a touch of chamomile and almond. A veritable treat for any occasion.
Vineyard
The hills among Cartizze are very steep and completely south-facing. The soils are the oldest in the DOCG area, and are generally not very deep; they are made up of marls and white sandstones providing very good drainage. They give floral wines of great persistence and elegance, with hints of fruit and aromatic herbs. Of the 107 HA designated as Cartizze DOGC, Villa Sandi owns 1.5HA with La Rivetta vineyard with the average age of vines at 45 years old. Cartizze DOCG is 300 meters in elevation where cold wind coming from the surrounding Pre-Alps mountains help to keep cooler temperatures both day and night.
Vinification
Whole grapes are softly pressed, and the must is stored in controlled temperature tanks after a first racking. It is then inoculated with selected yeast cultures, and fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature of 15-16°C (60°F). Upon reaching the required alcohol and sugar content, fermentation is stopped by refrigeration. After a short settling period, the sparkling wine is ready for bottling.