Winemaker Notes
Headquartered in a historic Palladian villa, dating to 1622, Villa Sandi is a winery anchored in family and tradition. The Moretti Polegato family has grown grapes since the 1920s and has been the steward of the Villa Sandi estate since the late 1970s, preserving an icon of Italian wine culture. Currently the largest owner of estate vineyards in Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Villa Sandi offers a portfolio of fresh and lively Proseccos from DOC Treviso, fruit-driven Prosecco Superiore from Valdobbiadene and Asolo DOCGs, and an elegant and refined offering from Cartizze DOCG, the highest designation of the region.
Villa Sandi showcases an extreme dedication to elevating the production of Prosecco by managing its estate vineyards with the utmost care. Exceptional wine quality and a true commitment to sustainability and biodiversity are hallmarks of Villa Sandi. Among its many sustainable practices, Villa Sandi primarily relies on its own hydroelectric power plant to supply clean energy and irrigate its vineyards. The winery’s dedication to preserving its legacy through protecting the environment is rooted in Villa Sandi’s family-run organization. Villa Sandi’s Proseccos routinely receive the highest praise from wine publications, and their Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG La Rivetta, from a small 3.7-acre estate vineyard, has obtained the highest Tre Bicchieri award for 14 consecutive years from Gambero Rosso, Italy’s leading wine guide.
Diva Moretti Polegato is Villa Sandi’s Global Brand Ambassador in the UK and US and represents the third generation of the Moretti Polegato family leadership. As part of her sustainability initiatives, Diva established Strawberry Fields Onlus, an organization helping and supporting children, women and men in Ethiopia.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Producing every style of wine and with great success, the Veneto is one of the most multi-faceted wine regions of Italy.
Veneto's appellation called Valpolicella (meaning “valley of cellars” in Italian) is a series of north to south valleys and is the source of the region’s best red wine with the same name. Valpolicella—the wine—is juicy, spicy, tart and packed full of red cherry flavors. Corvina makes up the backbone of the blend with Rondinella, Molinara, Croatina and others playing supporting roles. Amarone, a dry red, and Recioto, a sweet wine, follow the same blending patterns but are made from grapes left to dry for a few months before pressing. The drying process results in intense, full-bodied, heady and often, quite cerebral wines.
Soave, based on the indigenous Garganega grape, is the famous white here—made ultra popular in the 1970s at a time when quantity was more important than quality. Today one can find great values on whites from Soave, making it a perfect choice as an everyday sipper! But the more recent local, increased focus on low yields and high quality winemaking in the original Soave zone, now called Soave Classico, gives the real gems of the area. A fine Soave Classico will exhibit a round palate full of flavors such as ripe pear, yellow peach, melon or orange zest and have smoky and floral aromas and a sapid, fresh, mineral-driven finish.
Much of Italy’s Pinot grigio hails from the Veneto, where the crisp and refreshing style is easy to maintain; the ultra-popular sparkling wine, Prosecco, comes from here as well.