WINES OF NORTHERN ITALY
41
Zardetto
Located in the heart of the famous Prosecco territory between Conegliano and Valdobiadene, Zardetto
has been a leader in sparkling wine for more than 40 years. This vibrant and refreshing off-dry Prosecco
is produced from carefully selected grapes grown on the finest hilltop vineyards, after which Zardetto’s
state of the art winery blends modern techniques and traditional practices that result in an acclaimed
brut. As one of the first companies to introduce and distribute Prosecco outside Italy, Zardetto
continues to conquer the global market with a wide portfolio of high quality products.
Owner Fabio Zardetto made his way to the forefront of modern Prosecco production thanks to a long
lineage of winemaking tradition. While his maternal great-grandfather worked closely with Giovanni
Dalmasso, founder and director of Real Stazione Sperimentale, the foremost institution for vine growing
and oenology in Conegliano, his paternal great-grandfather, Ernesto Zardetto, was awarded for his
sweet wines or Vin da Botiglia. Fabio’s grandfather (also named Ernesto Zardetto) spent many years
as a researcher at the Real Stazione Sperimentale under the leadership of noted agricultural expert
Professor Italo Cosmo. Finally, Fabio’s father Pino became a certified oenologist in 1952 and spent the
first 17 years of his career producing Prosecco for a small firm in Conegliano. In 1969, Pino opened
his own winery with the primary goal of adding his personal touch to Prosecco, highlighting both the
flowery and fruity notes of the Prosecco grape.
Born in Conegliano in 1958, Fabio soon 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, Zardetto
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. Today, Zardetto Prosecco is enjoyed from
New York to Hong Kong, continuing the long and storied tradition of the Zardetto family for wine lovers
around the world.
“Private Cuvée” Vino Spumante Brut
Fabio Zardetto has created his own personal Cuvée—a blend of Glera (the new name for the Prosecco
grape), for long-lasting, expressive citrus notes; Chardonnay, for rich body and creamy texture; and
Muscat, for fresh floral and grapey aromas. This fine Cuvée manages to be both playful and refined at
the same time—sure to please even the most discerning palates.