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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.