Regional info.

Prosecco is both the name of the grape, and of the wine made from it in the DOC Prosecco hillsides around Valdobiaddene and Conegliano (Veneto), in the northeast of Italy, and as generally less distinguished IGT wines from the plains. The Prosecco grape variety has been cultivated here for at least two centuries, and possibly a lot longer, if it is the same as the Pucino grape of Roman times, which is thought to be the case. Bisol, a family-owned company, based in the little town of Santo Stefano, may have been here for just as long as their grape, with a family history that reaches back to at least the 16th Century, when their presence in the region was recorded by a local census. It was Eliseo Bisol who set the family on the road to Prosecco stardom, however, when he began to vinify the grapes the family had been growing for centuries, changing their profile from farmer to winemaker. This he did in 1875, at the age of twenty, but despite his tender years the business was a success and Bisol entered the Twentieth Century on top form. In 1923 the estate passed to his son, Desiderio, who expanded and reorganised, before passing the mantle to the third generation, Eliseo's grandchildren, who now run the business with assistance from their own sons.

The Bisol estate is spread over 50 ha of Prosecco DOC vineyards lying between the towns of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, which mark the limits of the DOC zone. This is a remarkable size in a region where the typical business model is more one of a smallholding, the typical vineyard size a mere hectare. In addition, the estate includes 3 ha of vines on the prestigious Cartizze hill, the highest and most prized slopes in the region. These are carefully managed sites, with the Bisol estate undergoing green harvesting and yield reduction each year, the emphasis being on securing a product of suitable quality for demanding export markets, as well as nearby Venice and other nearby towns, which soak up a lot of their local fizz.

Jeio Valdobbiadene Brut is the entry level wine, blended from the Bisol vineyards, on high, south facing slopes up at 250m.

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