Conegliano Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze is the tongue-twisting title given to a very specific set of sparkling prosecco wines. The title is used exclusively by wines produced under the Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene DOCG appellation in Italy, provided they are made from grapes grown on the Cartizze hill, around the San Pietro di Barbossa parish of Valdobbiadene.
The precise area covered by this title is not governed by such convenient lines as a commune boundary, road or river, which is logical from a viticultural point of view but complex and awkward from an administrative point of view. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene appellation laws devote several paragraphs to communicating the precise area considered as 'Cartizze'. In brief, however, the area lies north of the Piave River, east of Valdobbiadene town and west of Farra di Soligo village.
The hills that lie just north and east of Valdobbiadene are one of Veneto's longest-established viticultural areas, so the vineyards here have a history almost as impressive as their sub-Alpine backdrop. Only a single valley separates Valdobbiadene from the Dolomites and the Southern Limestone Alps, which rise to more than 10,000ft (3050m) within 20 miles (33km) of Veneto's northern vineyards.
As might be expected, this proximity to the mountains creates a particular mesoclimate, in this case characterized by a cool growing season (which makes it less surprising that the area became known for a sparkling wine) and an 'Alpine-Continental' climate. The presence of the Adriatic Sea and the Venetian Lagoon to the south helps to moderate temperatures somewhat, but the effect is far less pronounced than it is closer to the coast, in places such as Lison and Bagnoli.
For more information on how prosecco wines are made, see Prosecco.
