Mionetto

Born in Italy Shared Everywhere - Winery Founded in 1887

A Longtime Story of Love

In 1887 from the love and passion of master wine-maker Francesco Mionetto for the land led him to open this winery set amidst the gently rolling hills of Valdobbiadene, in the heart of Prosecco area. In its one hundred years of history, Mionetto has become a flagship for the area and a shining example of Prosecco production on the international scene. Passion, tradition, research and excellence are the fundamental values of this unique winery and brand, with its unmistakable style.

The complete takeover of the winery in 2008 by Henkell International GmbH (today Henkell Freixenet), a German group based in Wiesbaden and one of the major European sparkling wine producers, has led to further opportunities for growth both on the Italian and international markets, whilst retaining continuity of management style and cultural ties with the winery’s territory of origin. Since the very beginning, Mionetto has always been a modern, innovative company able to anticipate fashions and trends whilst at the same time maintaining a strong bond with the traditions of its homeland, a feature which still today sets it apart from other sparkling wine producers. Passion, tradition, research and excellence are the fundamental values of this winery and its brand, each with their own unique, unmistakable style.

The Charmat Method and The Vinification Process

In 1982, the Mionetto family introduced autoclave fermentation by switching to the Charmat method, which allows for better preservation of the flavors and aromas of Prosecco. After an initial processing phase involving soft pressing and the first temperature-controlled fermentation that takes place at the facilities of selected producers, using the Charmat method, the second fermentation takes place in autoclaves instead of individual bottles.

This additional temperature-controlled fermentation is recommended for Prosecco in order to help maintain the freshness and aroma typical of the grape in the bottling phase. Therefore, the winemakers' work at Mionetto does not only involve the production of high-quality wine but also entails maintaining an effective partnership with local producers who have historically supplied grapes for generations. Thanks to these historic relationships, Mionetto has been able to guarantee excellence as far as the quality of grapes purchased and used in the internal winemaking process.

Passion for Prosecco

The origins of Prosecco have ancient roots and date back at least as far as the Roman times, during which, over 2,000 years ago, was given a strong boost to the development of viticulture and enology in the whole noth-east of Italy.

The Prosecco grape variety has therefore developed through many historical periods, during which the founding principles of today's Mionetto took shape, one of the world's most important hubs of sparkling wine that has witnessed the assignment of the DOCG and DOC designations in the last decade.

The Values and The Characteristics of Prosecco

The success of Prosecco, both nationally and internationally, is definitely tied to the organoleptic characteristics of the grape and the qualities it embodies and reflects in the different stages of consumption: FRESHNESS AND FRUITY AROMAS: Prosecco presents itself with a fresh and simple style, easy to understand and enjoy in the tasting phase; LIGHTNESS: The versatility and lightness of its bubbles make for the perfect aperitif as well as accompaniment during celebrations, to be enjoyed in the company of others; CONTEMPORARITY AND ITALIAN STYLE: the image and the Italian style of the product are casual and qualitative, not snobbish not elitist. "The Prosecco is democratic".

Prosecco can have different and distinctive features depending on the area of origin of the grapes, reflecting specific organoleptic and chromatic properties. The famous grapes originating from the Prosecco DOCG area where the best-quality grapes are found, produce a bright straw-colored Prosecco with a slight and thin foam, lively floral aroma, predominant notes of apple, pear and citrus undertones, making for a harmonious and gentle bouquet.

The extended Prosecco DOC area produces different floral and fruity notes based on the characteristics of the soil, generally less intense and persistent in comparison to Prosecco DOCG. Prosecco may be Spumante or Frizzante depending on the perlage: Prosecco Spumante, the best-known and most common type, has fine and persistent perlage. Based on the sugar content, Prosecco Spumante can be Brut, extra dry or dry. Prosecco Frizzante has delicate and less persistent perlage.

The Territory - Since One Hundred Years in The Prosecco Territory

A stretch of vines as far as the eye can see on soft and sinuous hills; this is the land of Valdobbiadene, where Mionetto has worked for over one hundred years.

Mionetto has become a flagship for the area and a shining example of Prosecco production on the international scene. The beauty of the hills takes in many physical forms. Some slope gently towards the valley, while others drop down more steeply. These forms draw exceptional lines and shapes.

The Climate

In spite of the diversity of a relatively large area, the climate is generally temperate: the area is protected by the Alps to the North and warmed by the winds of the Adriatic Sea to the East, mitigating the temperature in summer and producing rainfall that favors the proper growth of vines. In late summer, the area is characterized by large temperature variations from day to night, enabling the growth of aromatic substances in grapes as they mature.

Prosecco Areas

The area dedicatede to the cultivation of the Glera grapes is located in the North-East of Italy and between Veneto e Friuli Venezia Giulia regions with a total area of 24,000 hectares, and the presence of 13,000 producers and 375 cellars.

Prosecco DOCG Area

Vines stretch as far as the eye can see over the gentle, rolling hills. This is the Prosecco di Valdobbiadene area that on 1st April 2010, with the Conegliano one, acquired the Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin (DOCG). The aim of the new regulations is to protect the wine produced in the 15 municipalities in this hilly area, where grapes grown between 50 and 500 meters above sea level, and where the best quality Prosecco is produced, by officially declaring its “superiority” over Prosecco from the neighbouring areas where cultivation has spread to over the last few decades.

The highest quality DOCG production remains in the historic “Superiore di Cartizze” micro-area, which is only 107 hectares in size but produces outstandingly opulent wines year in year out. 

Under the new regulations the grape variety has adopted the old name Glera, which is a synonym of Prosecco. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore has scents of flowers, with delicate hints of honey, green apples and crabapples among a thousand vegetal and floral aromas recalling the nature. The wine’s most obvious sensory characteristics are the pale colors, soft and never too intense, its delicate aromas. The grape variety Glera (the base for Prosecco) finds here the ideal characteristics to best express itself: the winters are long, but not too cold, while the summers are hot, but not sweltering.

Prosecco DOC Area

The Prosecco DOC (Controlled Denomination of Origin) area was established in 2009. The DOC area is located in the North-East of Italy and comprises five provinces in Veneto (Treviso, Venezia, Padova, Belluno) and four in Friuli - Venezia Giulia (Gorizia, Pordenone, Trieste and Udine). As the wines from Treviso and Trieste area of high quality and Prosecco grapes are traditionally cultivated here, producers are allowed to add the name “Treviso” and “Trieste” to the Denomination. Under the new regulations introduced in 2009, the grape variety has adopted the old name Glera, which is a synonym of Prosecco.

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