If there is one sector that seems to have been less affected by the current crisis in wine exports (not just Italian wines), it is certainly that of sparkling wines, driven by the success of Prosecco. According to Luca Giavi, director of the Consorzio del Prosecco DOC, who spoke at the Stati Generali del Vino event in Rome, this success is not just about price. However, within the world of what is undoubtedly the most consumed and well-known Italian sparkling wine abroad, distinctions must be made. Because saying "Prosecco" is not enough, especially when dealing with the Superiore version from a very specific area.
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore: from DOC to DOCG
The full name of the DOCG is Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore, whose territorial boundaries were more or less already defined in the 1930s. TheDOCdesignationarrivedin 1969 and evolved into DOCG in 2009. The protected designation area extends across 15 municipalities, but only two of them give it its name: Conegliano, which serves as the cultural capital of the district—home to one of Italy's most important enology schools since 1876—and Valdobbiadene, the heart of production in the region.
A mosaic of vineyards and microzones
Between these two towns lie the hills that host the 8,600 hectares of vineyards within the denomination, protected from the cold northern winds by the Dolomites. Their altitude ranges from 100 to 500 meters above sea level, but what truly makes the area distinctive is the extreme steepness of some slopes. To cultivate vines here, "ciglioni" are used—terraces that do not rely on stone for support but instead use grass-covered soil. The landscape is a patchwork of green, alternating these peculiar vineyard plots with dense forests, ensuring biodiversity.
The area's unique morphology and these agricultural practices have shaped the land over centuries. In 2019, the Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, also home to La Primavera del Prosecco, which features 15 wine exhibitions along with cultural and gastronomic events.
But there's more: the area is not just a mosaic of vineyards but also a geological mosaic. The soils display great variety, telling different stories about their formation. Some hills were shaped by the retreat of Dolomitic glaciers, alternating with deep soils rich in clay and iron, as well as marine-origin soils dominated by marl and sandstone. This extreme diversity has led to the recognition of microzones within the production regulations. It is not uncommon to find the names of municipalities or specific localities on labels—areas that have proven particularly suited to viticulture over the years. These are known as the Rive, 43 microzones, to which another particularly prestigious area is added: the Cartizze subzone, which spans just under 110 hectares.
The best value-for-money Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore wines
During this year's tastings, we found that wines from the region exhibited a more subtle and nervy profile than usual. However, in the best expressions, this resulted in finesse, agility, and a long-lasting sip.
Here is a selection of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore wines with the best quality-price ratio, featured in Berebene 2025 and Vini d’Italia 2025 by Gambero Rosso.
From the Torri di Credazzo comes one of Adami’s most important labels, Col Credas Extra Brut. This wine explores the freshest and most hidden side of the Treviso sparkling wine style, featuring aromas reminiscent of Granny Smith apples and captivating the palate with its decisive acidic tension. Adami sources grapes from as many as 34 different areas within the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene region.
The Mas de Fer '23 Extra Dry expresses a sweeter and more immediate fruity cadence, appreciated for its balance between tension and softness. The Andreola winery, led by Stefano Pola, has been one of the most dynamic in the Prosecco Superiore district in recent years. Their extensive vineyard holdings are complemented by significant collaborations with local growers who follow the winery’s technical team’s guidelines. The best vineyard plots produce grapes destined for the winery's most ambitious and terroir-driven wines.
The Extra Brut '23 by BiancaVigna masterfully maintains the immediacy and pop appeal of Prosecco while enhancing its finesse and tension. Founded just over 20 years ago, this winery—led by siblings Elena and Enrico Moschetta—has quickly gained high regard among both consumers and peers. A key player in the eastern Conegliano-Valdobbiadene zone, the company cultivates over 30 hectares of vineyards under organic management, exclusively dedicated to Glera. Their wines have a distinctly dry and gastronomic style, with the Ogliano and Soligo subzones providing the highest quality expressions.
An iconic tasting experience, the Molera '23 Extra Dry showcases refined aromas that oscillate between ripe fruit and delicate floral and confectionary notes. On the palate, it delivers a sapid sip with perfect balance between sweetness, acidity, and bubbles. Bisol has undergone significant evolution in recent years. The Lunelli group first refined the winery’s stylistic approach, then invested in deep restructuring of both the winery and its cru vineyards, now allowing near-total separation of the best grape batches. Viticultural management is entrusted to Mattia Filippi and Umberto Marchiori, ensuring that high-quality grapes are transformed into increasingly precise and reliable wines.
The Rive di Collalto Extra Brut harnesses the rich fruit profile characteristic of the best vineyards in Collalto, highlighting a more structured side of the Treviso sparkling wine style by forgoing sweetness. Borgoluce represents a modern interpretation of a traditional farm, embracing a return to the past while incorporating contemporary knowledge and attention to sustainability. The estate is vast, with agricultural activities spanning multiple sectors, yet viticulture remains a cornerstone. The Glera grape is the star of the rolling hills behind the modern winery, cultivated in a way that enhances the rich fruit expression that Conegliano-Valdobbiadene’s eastern subzone can offer.
The Motus Vitae by Bortolomiol is the result of the steepest slopes of San Pietro di Barbozza and plays with ripe yellow fruit and a creamy mouthfeel. The Prosecco Superiore designation is defined by a territory of great viticultural and scenic value, managed by a dense network of small and sometimes very small farms. These are complemented by sparkling wine houses that enhance their fruits, driving Treviso’s sparkling wines to global success. Bortolomiol is one of the most renowned and appreciated wineries, thanks to its historical bond with local vine growers and extensive technical expertise in the cellar.
The Terre del Faè '23 is a Prosecco Superiore from a single vineyard surrounded by patches of forest. It offers aromas of ripe yellow fruit, with floral notes playing a supporting role, while on the palate, the perfect fusion of bubbles, acidity, and delicate structure delivers great drinking pleasure, maintaining a dry and slender profile.
Canevel Spumanti, founded by Mario Caramel in the late 1970s, has been collaborating with the Masi group from Gargagnago since 2016. This partnership has brought deep market knowledge and insight. On the technical side, the winery has embraced sustainable practices and organic farming, leveraging an important vineyard platform located in the heart of the historic Prosecco Superiore zone.
The Extra Brut Ponte Rosso '23 features aromas of ripe white fruit with a subtle floral note that reveals itself gradually. On the palate, the Conegliano character emerges in a firm, decisive sip with good energy.
Beyond the left bank of the Piave River, the Treviso plain starts to ripple, giving rise to the complex hill system that forms the kingdom of Glera. Susegana has been home to Conti Collalto for over a century, one of the most significant wineries in the Prosecco Superiore district. The estate boasts extensive vineyards on the eastern slopes of the designation, where Glera thrives alongside native and international varieties.
The Extra Dry Castè '23 showcases the delicate fruitiness that Glera develops when grown in the best exposures. It releases aromas of apple and pear, linden, and wisteria flowers, ultimately delivering a generous sip where sweetness is balanced by acidity and savoriness.
Graziano Merotto is undoubtedly one of those visionary producers who have skillfully combined farming wisdom with cellar expertise, improving every production phase—from vineyard to bottle—year after year, without falling prey to commercial pressures. His extensive vineyard holdings, largely managed directly by the winery, enable the production of a range of refined sparkling wines with strong territorial identity.
The Gerardo '23 is an Extra Brut crafted from grapes grown in the finest vineyard exposures of Santa Stefano, at the heart of Valdobbiadene Prosecco. This sparkling wine presents its fruit with great finesse, complemented by floral notes that gradually give way to hints of dried fruit. The palate is dry, perfectly supported by a vibrant acidity and the creamy texture of the bubbles.
Silvia, Alberto, and Veronica Ruggeri now lead the family winery, founded by their father Cesare in the mid-1980s. The winery is located in Santo Stefano, in the heart of the UNESCO-recognized hills, while their vineyard platform spans 16 different estates. These range from the steep slopes of Valdobbiadene to the gentler hills of Conegliano, extending to nearby Montello, where the company has also developed a charming B&B.
The R.D.O. Levante '23 Extra Dry is born from vineyards facing east, offering aromas of white fruit and flowers and captivating the palate with the delicate character that Glera develops in its historic cradle. The sip is lively, savory, and irresistibly drinkable.
The prestigious Masottina winery, nestled along the ridge of Ogliano, seems to emerge directly from the Glera vineyards, blending seamlessly into the landscape while featuring all the cutting-edge technology required for Treviso’s sparkling wines. This significant vineyard platform allows Federico and Filippo Dal Bianco to produce wines of exceptional quality, drawing from the UNESCO heritage hills and the bordering plains. However, Ogliano remains the beating heart of Masottina, a vast hilly area where vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see on glacial-origin soils.
From the finest vineyards of San Pietro di Barbozza comes the San Pietro di Barbozza Extra Brut '22 by Valdo Spumanti, a sparkling wine dominated by notes of apple and pear, offering a rich and tense flavor profile.
The great strength of Valdo Spumanti, based in Valdobbiadene, lies in its ability to combine the scale of a large production with the quality and style of an artisanal winery.
Credit for this success is shared between Pierluigi Bolla, an enlightened president, and Gianfranco Zanon, a highly experienced winemaker. Their leadership has propelled Valdo into one of the most important players in the Prosecco Superiore designation. In the cellar, the utmost respect is given to both grape and wine, with the most ambitious labels undergoing extended aging to achieve perfect harmony, ensuring that each vintage and production area is faithfully represented.
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