Most wine lovers know Prosecco, but how many can explain the difference between Prosecco DOC and Valdobbiadene DOCG? During a tasting with Col Vetoraz, I discovered more about the hills of Valdobbiadene, the importance of vineyard selection, and why this producer wants consumers to look beyond the familiar name Prosecco. Three wines from the 2025 vintage showed three different expressions of Glera, from the refreshing Extra Brut Cuvée 5 to the aromatic Extra Dry Coste di Ponente and the ripe, elegant Superiore di Cartizze.
When people think about sparkling wine from Veneto, Prosecco is usually the first name that comes to mind. It is easy to understand why. Prosecco has become one of the most recognisable wine styles in the world, associated with fresh fruit, lively bubbles and a glass of something sparkling to start an evening. But there is much more to discover in the hills of Valdobbiadene.
During a digital tasting with Col Vetoraz, Laura Stocco, the winery’s export manager, introduced us to the history of the estate, its approach to winemaking and the reasons behind its strong focus on territorial identity. What interested me most was how much attention the winery gives to individual vineyard sites, even though all three wines we tasted were made from the same grape variety.
The tasting was a good reminder that knowing the grape variety is only part of understanding a wine. Where the grapes grow, how they are selected, and how the wine is made can make a considerable difference.
What is Valdobbiadene DOCG?
Before looking at the winery itself, it is worth understanding where it is located. Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG is one of the most important sparkling wine denominations in Veneto. The vineyards are spread across the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in northeastern Italy. The landscape is characterised by steep slopes, varied exposures and vineyards that are often difficult to work mechanically. The area received UNESCO World Heritage status in 2019, recognising the distinctive cultural landscape created by generations of viticulture.
Valdobbiadene DOCG belongs to the wider Prosecco family, but it has its own geographical identity and production rules. The distinction between DOC and DOCG is particularly important here. Prosecco DOC covers a much larger production area, including extensive lowland vineyards, while Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG focuses on the historic hillside area.
The steep terrain also means that harvesting is carried out by hand in many vineyards. As Laura explained during the tasting, working these slopes requires considerably more effort than harvesting in flatter areas where machinery can be used.
This is an important starting point. Prosecco is not one uniform style, and the origin of the grapes can tell us much more about what to expect in the glass.
Discovering Col Vetoraz
The story of Col Vetoraz begins in 1838, when the Miotto family settled on the hill of the same name and started cultivating vines. The modern winery was established in 1993, when Francesco Miotto joined forces with winemaker Loris Dall’Acqua and agronomist Paolo De Bortoli. Their ambition was to build a winery recognised for the quality of its Valdobbiadene DOCG wines.
Today, the family remains involved in the business, with the next generation taking on responsibilities within the company. According to Laura, the winery works with around 30 people and continues to build on the family’s long connection with the land.
What I found interesting was the balance between the winery’s own vineyards and its relationships with local growers.
Col Vetoraz owns approximately 20 hectares of vineyards and works with 72 small growers, covering around 100 hectares in total. Many of these relationships have lasted for more than 30 years. This is not simply a matter of buying grapes when they are needed. The winery has its own requirements for vineyard management, treatments, and harvesting, and the growers work within these guidelines. The result is a combination of family-owned vineyards and a wider network of local producers who contribute to the winery’s range.
Why Col Vetoraz Vinifies Every Vineyard Separately
One of the most fascinating details from the presentation was the winery’s approach to selecting its grapes and base wines. Col Vetoraz works exclusively with Glera. Although the appellation rules permit certain other local varieties, including Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, and Perera, the winery chooses to produce its wines from 100% Glera. But the grape variety is only the beginning.
Instead of blending grapes from different vineyards together before fermentation, Col Vetoraz vinifies the individual vineyard lots separately. The winery has more than 100 small and medium-sized tanks for this first fermentation, allowing it to keep track of the different lots. According to Laura, the winery also purchases around 30–35% more grapes than it ultimately needs for its own production. This allows the team to select the best material in each vintage rather than relying on a particular vineyard to perform consistently every year.
After fermentation, the winemaker tastes the base wines individually and selects those that meet the winery’s quality requirements. The chosen lots are then blended to create the different cuvées. The winery uses only the first, softer pressing fraction for its own wines, selling the second, more forceful pressing fraction to other producers.
The aim is consistency, but not uniformity. The winery wants every bottle to meet the same quality standard while allowing the different vineyard sites to contribute their own character.
This helps explain how three wines made from the same grape variety can offer such different experiences. The differences are not necessarily about using different grapes or completely different winemaking methods. Sometimes the vineyard selection and the decisions made before blending are just as important.
The Importance of the Small Details
Col Vetoraz uses the Charmat method, also known as the Martinotti method, for its sparkling wines. The second fermentation takes place in pressurised tanks, as is common for Prosecco and many other sparkling wines. Laura was clear that the winery is not using a completely different production method from everyone else. Instead, they believe the difference comes from the details throughout the process, from grape selection and pressing to fermentation and blending. The winery also uses the phrase vino senza collaggio on its back labels, referring to its commitment to making wines without fining treatments.
During the presentation, Laura connected this approach with the texture of the finished wines, particularly the persistence of the foam and the fine bubbles. This was something I paid attention to during the tasting. All three wines had beautiful bubbles, but there were differences between them. The perlage was particularly impressive in the Cartizze, while the Extra Dry was the most aromatic and the Extra Brut the most refreshing.
Why Col Vetoraz Wants to Talk About Valdobbiadene DOCG, Not Just Prosecco
One of the most distinctive aspects of Col Vetoraz is its decision to emphasise Valdobbiadene rather than the word Prosecco on its labels and in its communications. The winery made this decision in 2017. The full appellation name remains Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, but Col Vetoraz places greater emphasis on the geographical name Valdobbiadene.
Laura explained that the decision came from a desire to avoid confusion. Many consumers recognise the name Prosecco but do not necessarily understand the difference between DOC and DOCG, or realise how much the growing area can influence the wine.
The winery produces Valdobbiadene DOCG exclusively, so it wants the place of origin to be the first thing consumers notice.
Of course, Prosecco is a valuable and internationally recognised name. But that recognition can also make it difficult for premium producers to distinguish themselves from the many less expensive wines available on the market. Col Vetoraz is trying to change that conversation. Instead of asking consumers to focus only on the category, it wants them to look at the hills, the vineyards, and the decisions that shape the wine.
And the three wines we tasted offered a good opportunity to explore exactly that.
Tasting Through the Col Vetoraz Valdobbiadene DOCG Range
All three wines came from the 2025 vintage and were made from 100% Glera. They also shared the same alcohol level of 11.5% ABV. What changed was the residual sugar, the vineyard selection, and the resulting expression in the glass.
Extra Brut Cuvée 5 2025
The Extra Brut Cuvée 5 was introduced with the 2019 vintage. Its name refers to the five selected vineyards used in the blend and the wine’s five grams per litre of residual sugar. The aim is to produce a dry and precise sparkling wine without losing the character of Valdobbiadene. During the presentation, Laura described it as balanced, with floral and fruity aromas, fresh acidity and a rounded texture.
In the glass, I found a very clean and elegant nose, with peach, pear, and citrus, particularly lemon peel. The aromas were expressive, but the palate was fresher and more mineral than I expected from the nose. Rather than being particularly creamy, the wine felt precise and balanced. The citrus character continued into the aftertaste, leaving a refreshing impression.
With only 5 g/l of residual sugar, this was the driest of the three wines. What I liked most, however, was not simply the low dosage but the way the freshness and mineral character worked together. The wine felt elegant without being austere.
For me, this was the most refreshing wine of the tasting.
I would happily serve it as an aperitif or alongside seafood, shellfish and refined fish dishes. It is also a good example of why Extra Brut does not have to mean sharp or stripped of fruit.
Extra Dry Coste di Ponente 2025
Coste di Ponente takes its name from the western-facing vineyards of Valdobbiadene. According to Laura, these slopes receive afternoon sunshine, helping the grapes develop a riper fruit profile. The wine has 16 g/l of residual sugar, placing it in the Extra Dry category. That is considerably more than the Cuvée 5, but the difference was not as obvious on the palate as the numbers might suggest.
The nose was the most aromatic of the three wines, with pear, white peach, apple, citrus and floral notes. It was expressive and inviting without becoming overwhelming. On the palate, the wine was fruity, rounded and approachable, with perceptible sweetness. However, the residual sugar was not particularly obvious. The fresh acidity kept everything lively, while a mineral impression helped balance the fruit and sweetness.
The bubbles were another highlight. They were beautiful and persistent, lifting the wine and reinforcing its freshness. Rather than feeling heavy or overly sweet, it remained lively and balanced.
For me, this was the most aromatic wine of the tasting. It also demonstrated how a little residual sugar can work alongside acidity and fruit without dominating the overall impression.
Coste di Ponente is an easy wine to open with friends, but it shouldn’t be limited to aperitivo occasions. Its balance makes it suitable for delicately flavoured dishes, while the slight sweetness can work particularly well with spicy food.
Superiore di Cartizze 2025
Cartizze is one of the most famous sites within Valdobbiadene and is particularly important to Col Vetoraz because of its connection to the family’s history. The delimited Cartizze area covers approximately 107 hectares, according to the figure given during the presentation. Its distinctive position, exposure and growing conditions help produce a different expression of Glera from the surrounding vineyards.
Laura described the area’s south-western exposure, protection from strong winds, and differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures as important factors in the development of the grapes. She also highlighted the soils and their contribution to the wine’s character.
The Cartizze contains 24 g/l of residual sugar, making it the sweetest of the three wines. Traditionally, Cartizze is produced in the Dry style because the grapes can reach a high level of ripeness.
The first thing that stood out to me was the perlage. Of the three wines, this one had the most beautiful bubbles, with a particularly fine and persistent mousse. The fruit was ripe, although the tropical aromas were not as intense as I had expected from the presentation. I found pineapple and mango, accompanied by white blossoms. The combination gave the wine a ripe, elegant character without overwhelming the floral notes. On the palate, the wine was rounded and silky, with the sweetness balanced by freshness and a mineral impression. It felt riper than the other two wines, but it did not lose its sense of balance.
For me, this was the ripest wine of the tasting and the one with the most beautiful perlage.
One of the most interesting parts of Laura’s presentation was her recommendation to serve Cartizze with sopressa, a rich local salami from Veneto. It is not necessarily the first pairing that comes to mind when thinking about a sparkling wine with 24 g/l of residual sugar, but it makes sense when you consider the contrast between the wine’s fruit and sweetness and the richness of the food.
What Stood Out Across the Three Wines
Looking back at the three wines together, what interested me most was how differently they expressed the same grape variety.
The Extra Brut Cuvée 5 was the most refreshing, with its clean nose, citrusy aftertaste, and mineral character. Coste di Ponente was the most aromatic, combining expressive fruit with fresh acidity and a lively mousse. Cartizze was the ripest, with pineapple, mango, white blossoms and the finest perlage of the tasting. The differences were not simply about sweetness. Vineyard exposure, grape ripeness and the winery’s selection process all contributed to the final character of the wines.
It was also a useful reminder that residual sugar does not tell the whole story. Coste di Ponente had more sugar than the Extra Brut, but its freshness and bubbles kept it lively. Cartizze was sweeter still, yet its ripe fruit and mineral character helped maintain balance.
This is where the winery’s approach to vineyard selection becomes particularly interesting. Rather than trying to make every wine fit the same profile, Col Vetoraz uses different vineyard sites and blending decisions to create distinct expressions of Valdobbiadene.
Why I Think Valdobbiadene DOCG Deserves More Attention
The world of Prosecco is much broader than many consumers realise. Behind the familiar name are different growing areas, vineyard sites and producers with their own approaches to Glera. Col Vetoraz is interesting because it has made territorial identity a central part of its philosophy. Its focus on Valdobbiadene is not just about where the grapes grow, but also about how the winery selects, vinifies and blends them.
The three wines offered a clear illustration of this approach. They shared a common sense of balance, but each had its own character: the refreshing precision of Cuvée 5, the aromatic intensity of Coste di Ponente and the ripe fruit and beautiful perlage of Cartizze. For me, this was a reminder not to treat Prosecco as a single, uniform category. Looking more closely at the denomination and the individual producers can reveal a much more interesting world of sparkling wine.
And if there is one thing I took away from this tasting, it is that sometimes the best way to understand a wine is to look beyond the grape variety and ask a simpler question: where does it come from?
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