Perhaps the most diehard of the Prosecco traditionalists are the members of the Canello. Their winery, Caneva da Nani, is located in the hilltop village of Guia in the Valdobbiadene, of the Veneto. The Canello... Read More
Perhaps the most diehard of the Prosecco traditionalists are the members of the Canello. Their winery, Caneva da Nani, is located in the hilltop village of Guia in the Valdobbiadene, of the Veneto. The Canello family has been growing grapes in these mountains for five generations and making wine for themselves all along the way, since 1971 in an official way. Today the winery is run by Massimo who took over from his father, Giovanni, ten years ago. Giovanni remains an integral part, helping to maintain framing and winemaking traditions. After all, the winery is named after him. Nani is his nickname while Canevaa is venetian dialect for “shady spot to sit and drink wine.” How Italian is that!
Tiny by today's industrial standard, the Canello family farm their 6 hectares of 100% Glera planted on impossibly steep slopes. Organic but not interested in certification they use no herbicides or synthetic pesticides in the fields. Located between 1100-1330 feet above sea level, soils are mixed clay and limestone with an abundant amount of the local Dolomite granite. Even if they wanted to, their vineyards are too steep for machinery so all work is done by hand.
All of Caneva da Nani’s property lies within the Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Superiore zone (highest altitude, most respected terroir) yet he cannot call his “Col Fondo '' by its DOC name. That is because he chooses to use crown caps to bottle his wine as he very much prefers the results over those when using cork. This is not allowed under the DOC rules and even though he has made the argument that all Champagne is re-fermented under crown cap and it is better for the purity of the wine, he has been unable to change the consortium's mind. He could call the wine simply 'Prosecco di Valdobbiadene' but he feels that lumps his land in with the industrial wines being made in the valley below.
