Zucchetto

Eons ago the river Piave carved an elegant escarpment from the limestone foothills of the Dolomites. The finest Prosecco vineyards are to be found on these steep, south-facing slopes. Unlike Champagne, Prosecco is fermented in tank and was traditionally vinified with a hint of residual sugar. A century ago life here was hard; sparkling wine was a great luxury and sweet sparkling wine was the height of a fashion that was creeping slowly eastwards from Asti.

Tastes have changed but even today sugar levels regularly top 10 grams per litre and so the bone-dry stuff from Zucchetto is a wonderful break with tradition. The vast majority of Prosecco is humble DOC status and is produced from vineyards grown on plains far to the south. Paolo Zucchetto and his son, Carlo, farm just 5.5 ha of vineyards in the heart of the Valdobbiadene DOCG and also have holdings in the prestigious Cartizze Cru. The Extra Dry is the sweeter of the two (we’re in Italy) but only just. Puro Fol, sourced from a single vineyard and fermented almost to dryness, is the pick of the bunch although there’s a terribly trendy Col Fondo should the mood take you. All his wines sport an engaging nose of melon and quince and a sophisticated twist of lemon acidity on the finish.