Winebow Producer Book

Veneto , Italy

Winery Overview Zèfiro Prosecco is named after the Greek god Zephyros, god of the west wind and also god of the spring. He was the gentlest of the winds and his mild breezes helped the plants to flower and become fruitful. Winemaker Fabio Zardetto, certainly helped the Prosecco region to flower and become fruitful in his role as head of the Consortium of Prosecco di Conegliano and as the owner of the pioneering Zardetto Winery. He created the Zèfiro Prosecco to celebrate this renewal of life that spring gives us each year. Born in Conegliano in 1958, Fabio followed in the footsteps of his winemaking ancestors, graduating with honors from the Enology School of Conegliano, one of the oldest and most prestigious enology schools in the world. His experimental thesis examined sparkling wine (of course!), a theme relatively unexplored by the university at that time. Upon completing graduate studies in chemistry at the University of Venice, Fabio leapt into the world of Prosecco Spumante under the helm of his father Pino, by then quite famous in the Italian wine community. In addition to his responsibilities at the Zardetto winery, Fabio was named manager of the official Consortium of Prosecco di Conegliano, serving from 1982 to 1995. In this role, he oversaw all promotion of Prosecco wines, safeguarding the quality and image of Prosecco for the region. In 1998, Fabio was named sole owner of the Zardetto winery, initiating an exciting new era of the company’s development. Under his leadership, the winery has been equipped with the best in modern winemaking machinery and technology, guaranteeing their ability to deliver high quality Prosecco to a large international audience, and further enhancing the quality and flavor of the estate’s impeccable collection. Location of Vineyard The Zèfiro Prosecco is sourced from both estate owned vineyards as well as from high quality co-op wineries in the Prosecco DOC. Fabio personally oversees the entire process from the vine to the final customer, utilizing his rich knowledge of every hill and terroir in the Prosecco DOC to source the best grapes of the region. Winemaking Philosophy To create the Zèfiro Prosecco, secondary fermentation is carried out using Il Metodo Italiano, also known as the Charmat Process. This shorter, cooler fermentation preserves the characteristic freshness and the flowery, fruity Prosecco aromas and flavors that are so prized the world over. Once secondary fermentation is complete, the Prosecco is filtered and bottled awaiting only a lover of life and wine to give in to the urge to celebrate.