Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

Technical Summary

• Classification: DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita)
• EU Registration: Protected Designation of Origin (PDO); PDO-IT-A0303
• Geographic scope: 15 comuni on hillsides between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene
• UNESCO Status: “Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene” - World Heritage Site (2019)
• Wine types: Spumante (sparkling), Frizzante (semi-sparkling)
• Special designations: Cartizze (grand cru equivalent), Rive (single-vineyard)

Regulatory Constraints (Verified)

Ampelographic Composition

• Primary variety: Glera — minimum 85%
• Complementary varieties: Up to 15% from Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Glera Lunga
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 2

Geographic Delimitation

15 comuni authorized: Valdobbiadene, Conegliano, Susegana, Vittorio Veneto, and 11 other comuni

• Vineyard positioning: Hillside locations mandatory (steep slopes characteristic)
• Total vineyard area: ~8,400 hectares registered
• Cartizze subzone: 107 hectares in Valdobbiadene (San Pietro di Barbozza, Santo Stefano, Saccol)
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 3

Yield Limits

Designation	Maximum Yield
Standard DOCG	13,500 kg/ha
Cartizze	12,000 kg/ha
Rive	13,000 kg/ha

• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 4

Rive Requirements

• Definition: Single-vineyard or single-comune designation
• Vintage requirement: Must be vintage-dated
• Hand harvest: Mandatory for Rive designation
• 43 Rive: Officially recognized single-vineyard/comune names
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 7

Cartizze Requirements

• Geographic restriction: 107 ha subzone only
• Lower yield: 12,000 kg/ha maximum
• Traditional style: Often produced in sweeter style (Dry classification)
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 7

Production Method

• Required: Charmat/Martinotti method
• Secondary fermentation: Extended compared to DOC (typically 60+ days for quality)
• Col Fondo: Ancestral method (bottle-fermented, cloudy) also permitted
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 5

Minimum Alcohol

• Spumante: 11.0% vol minimum
• Frizzante: 10.5% vol minimum
• Source: Disciplinare di Produzione, Art. 6

Enological Implications

Evidence-Backed Implications

Lower yields than DOC:

• 13,500 kg/ha vs. DOC’s 18,000 kg/ha
• Reduced yield requirement reflects quality positioning
• Hillside viticulture naturally limits production

Rive hand-harvest requirement:

• Manual harvest mandatory for Rive designation
• Steep slopes often prohibit mechanical harvest regardless
• Labor cost implications for single-vineyard wines

Operational Observations

Extended secondary fermentation:

• While 30 days minimum applies, quality producers typically extend to 60-90+ days
• “Charmat lungo” approach for greater complexity
• Market differentiation from DOC Prosecco

Cartizze style tradition:

• Historically produced in Dry style (17-32 g/L RS)
• Consumer expectation differs from typical Brut preference
• Subzone terroir expression emphasized

Frequent Compliance Risks

Rive Harvest Method Violations

• Risk: Mechanical harvest for Rive-designated wine
• Impact: Cannot use Rive designation
• Mitigation: Harvest documentation; third-party verification

Cartizze Sourcing Errors

• Risk: Using grapes from outside 107 ha subzone
• Impact: Cannot label as Cartizze
• Mitigation: Parcel-level tracking; vineyard registration verification

Yield Documentation

• Risk: Different yield limits for different designations (13,500 vs. 12,000 vs. 13,000)
• Impact: Excess must be declassified
• Mitigation: Designation-specific yield tracking

Relevant Grape Varieties

• Glera — primary variety (minimum 85%)

References

1. Disciplinare di Produzione Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG

   • Consorzio di Tutela del Vino Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco
   • URL: https://www.prosecco.it/

2. eAmbrosia - EU GI Register

   • Entry: PDO-IT-A0303
   • URL: https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/eambrosia/

3. UNESCO World Heritage

   • “Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene”
   • Inscription: 2019

---

Last Updated: January 6, 2026