The Ruggeri winery was founded in 1950 by Giustino Bisol. While an Italian winery founded as recently as the 1950s doesn’t sound particularly pioneering, the family actually has ancient traditions in the viticulture area of the Valdobbiadene Prosecco area.

Twenty-one generations ago there was a small group of rural houses known as “Case Bisoi” which can be found on oldest maps of the historic hill where the Bisol family cultivated vines for centuries (today Cartizze).

Following a tradition of grape production and farming that has been handed down from generation to generation the Ruggeri winery was founded in 1950 by Giustino Bisol, and cousin Luciano Ruggeri. (In the 1970s other family members established a winery in the Bisol name.) Ruggeri was much older, and is no longer alive today. In 1989 he sold his shares to Giustino Bisol, who is now 99 years old.

Isabella Bisol represents the next generation looking after the Ruggeri winery

Today the operation is run by Paolo and Paolo’s daughter Isabella. Together they are planning a special edition of Giustino B. (the winery’s selection named after him) for next year, when he will turn 100.

Cartizze

We were shown around the historic family vineyards located in Cartizze by Paolo and Isabella. The slopes of this area in Valdobbiadene are a stark 45-degrees in angle, and in the lush green of spring presented stunning surroundings of steep hillside after rolling hillside of vines, all close to flowering. We learned of the advantages and challenges of faming this storied terroir. The south-facing slopes are steep, which offers effective water runoff as well as the benefit of more sunlight. My photos don’t do justice in showing how steep and laborious it is to work these lands.

The fortunate exposure of the hills and the particular soil composition (consisting mostly of limestone, clay and sandstone) give origin to this highly charactered and therefore greatly sought after wine. Cartizze traditionally has a delicate vein of sweetness, likely accountable to the ripeness the fruit can achieve at the site.

Paulo Bisol shows the old vines of Cartizze whose grapes go into Ruggeri Vecchie Viti

Due to the steep slopes in Valdobbiadene, farming is all done by hand. When one grapevine dies off, it is replaced by another single vine. This means that the vineyards become “disetaneo” meaning ‘ageless’. With vines planted at different times it’s impossible to know the actual age as they are anywhere between 80 and 100 years old.

A taste of Cartizze Provenance

Back at the winery, we were treated to a vertical tasting of the Vecchie Viti – meaning ‘old vines.’ The lineup of wines was started in 2005 by Paulo Bisol to keep the tradition of those who pioneered the grapes growing in the area. The Vecchie Viti is made from the fruit of grapes coming from the Bisol’s Cartizze vineyard as well as all around the Valdobbiadene region, and is a blend of the abundant Glera grapes as well as the old vine Prosecche. Verdise and Perere.

To create this wine the winery needs the fruit and cooperation from numerous farmers who are the owners of the best vineyards in San Pietro, Santo Stefano, Cartizze, Guia and Saccol. In winter & spring they select about 2500 old vines that yield about 5000 bottles. After primary fermentation the wine is left on the lees until spring and then transferred to the pressure vat. The second fermentation is carried out slowly and the wine is left in contact with the yeast until a few days before bottling at the end of June.

Dry in style, the Vecchie Viti is pale lemon in colour, with aromas of white flower and orchard fruit. Bright and silky, the palate delivers apple, peach and pear. The wine is dry and crisp on the palate & very tasty. What a great opportunity to see how the wine progresses, but tasting back four vintages. The fruit tends to stay fresh and hang on.

In addition to this special old vines lineup, Ruggeri is known for their entire lineup of DOCG Prosecco. The wines have received critical acclaim at home and abroad, with awards from Tre Bicchieri 2018 from Gambero Rosso. Ruggeri is the only winery in Prosecco that has been awarded with Tre Bicchieri for nine times. In the US, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate made -a complete review of the Valdobbiadene Conegliano Prosecco Superiore DOCG area. Ruggeri had the highest rating: 92 points to Giustino B. and 91+ to Vecchie Viti.

A visit to the area will guarantee you access to these wines, which are available in some, but not all provinces in Canada. To learn more on where to find the wines and to plan your visit see the Ruggeri website.

Disclosure: I was hosted on this visit by Ruggeri Winery as part of a working visit for the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G. consortium, a client of my company Town Hall Brands.