Bisol

Prosecco is booming. It ticks all the boxes for consumers: chic but affordable, unpretentious but maintaining an air of sophistication. But as George Orwell might have written had he been a lover of Italian fizz, not all Proseccos are created equal.

Located at the heart of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOC zone in the beautiful Veneto hills, the Bisol family has been making wine since 1875 and has roots in the region stretching back to the 16th Century. Today they are one of the very few Prosecco producers with the ability and desire to produce wines of the very highest quality possible. Unlike most of their peers Bisol own their own vineyards, about 50ha at last count, meaning that all viticultural decisions are theirs alone and that the fruit can be picked, transported and crushed quickly and easily to ensure the final wine is as fresh and pure as possible.

Yields are kept low, partly through ruthless green harvesting during the summer, to ensure that the wines keep their concentration, fruit and intensity. Rather than blend different vineyards together into one generic Prosecco, Bisol specialise in reflecting the different terroirs of their different vineyards.

The Crede takes its name from its cool, clay soils which hold sufficient moisture to avoid any drought problems in the summer and add fresh acidity to the wine. A blend of 85% Prosecco, 10% Pinot Bianco, 5% Verdiso, Crede has 10g/l residual sugar giving a soft, off-dry character to the floral, pear and apple flavours. It is a supremely popular, elegant wine with fantastic length.

The Cartizze comes from the top vineyard in Valdobbiadene, a 106ha site planted on a steep hill. It is reputed the land is worth €1m per hectare but land rarely comes up for sale. Crumbly marl and sandstone soils combined with a particularly mild microclimate help to produce Cartizze's distinctive, minerally style. With 17.5g/l residual sugar, it is sweeter than the Crede but impeccably balanced with refreshing acidity and delicate peachy fruit.