Bisol1542 earns Prosecco prize for its Cartizze Dry
Recently named Grand Master at The Prosecco Masters 2025, Bisol1542 Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Dry proves that tiny Cartizze has immense potential.
Prosecco may not have a grand cru, but it does have Cartizze. The small patch in Valdobbiadene, which has its own appellation of Prosecco DOCG Superiore di Cartizze, sits just below the foothills of the Dolomites. At just 106 hectares, it is comparable in size to Corton Grand Cru AOC or Chablis Grand Cru AOC, and represents the zenith of Prosecco winemaking.
Thanks to its small size – less than 0.3% of Prosecco DOCG and DOC’s vineyard areas combined – very few producers can make Cartizze. Those that do will usually have a deep, historic connection to the land. That is certainly the case for Bisol1542.
Records indicate that the Bisol family has been making wine in Valdobbiadene since 1542. That region, of which Cartizze is a part, is recognised as the heartlands of Prosecco making. Indeed, its significance is such that the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
With its vineyards spread over the Valdobbiadene area, Bisol1542 – part of Gruppo Lunelli since 2014 – can mix and match terroirs. The winery’s own vineyards and partner grower sites give it access to 100 hectares of vines. Bisol1542 can thus craft a variety of styles, from fashionable extra dry styles to Rive Prosecco Superiore from steep slopes.
Quality is evident throughout the range. Yet it is in Cartizze, at the top of the hierarchy, that Bisol1542’s winemaking expertise is clearest.
Exemplary winemaking for exemplary terroir
It begins with the vineyards. Even within the small confines of Cartizze, Bisol1542 has an enviable plot. Sat on the higher part of the hill, around 300 metres above sea level, it enjoys both excellent exposure to sunlight and the cooling effects of elevation and mountain breezes. Much like Champagne, the vineyard also has notable limestone deposits, a quality that aids in water regulation and is sometimes said to lend wines minerality and verve.
With such terroir, care is important. In the steep vineyards of the Prosecco Superiore area, a single hectare of vines takes 900 hours of manual labour to tend, compared to just 150 hours on the plains nearer the Adriatic.
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The viticulture follows the latest thinking, particularly with regard to sustainability. Green manure between the rows rejuvenates the soil, while areas without vines are dedicated to biodiversity. For Bisol1542, this has meant planting native flowers and cultivating strips of woodland near its vineyards.
Yet there is still a space for tradition. The vines range in age from 2 years to 80 years, reflecting Bisol1542’s commitment to preserving vineyard history wherever possible. They are trained on chestnut stakes using the double inverted training system, a historic method that is well suited to the region’s hills. Bisol1542 also ensures it is growing native varieties, in a scheme that preserves both heritage and biodiversity.
Once perfectly ripe, Bisol1542’s Cartizze grapes are harvested by hand and rushed to one of its crushing centres. Time is of the essence, preserving the fresh and aromatic grapes for winemaking.
Bisol1542’s modern winery does the rest, protecting the must as it ferments for a clean, elegant Prosecco Superiore. The Bisol1542 Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Dry is bottled with 20g/l of residual sugar; the style is traditional to the region, and allows both the refreshing acidity and ripe fruit flavours to shine through.
It is an exacting process, but one that yields results. The bottle earned the title of Grand Master at the Prosecco Masters 2025, marking it as the finest bottle tasted at the competition. From heritage to terroir to winemaking, Bisol1542 has combined all it has in its Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Dry.
Patricia Stefanowicz MW, panel chair at the competition, offers her take on the wine below.
Bisol1542 Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Dry 2024
- Producer: Bisol1542
- Region: Veneto
- Grape variety: 100% Glera
- ABV: 11.5%
- Approx. retail price: £36
- Medal: Grand Master
In the tradition of the families who have tended these vines in this enclave of the Valdobbiadene area since 1542, this wine expresses everything that is gorgeous about Cartizze. A very small sub-zone of Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Cartizze has ancient soils on steep slopes, which means that vineyard work is all undertaken by hand – heroic viticulture indeed. The result is this stupendous wine, pale lemon-green in hue, showing tiny bubbles and a mid-width cordon. Aromatics of orchard fruits are accented by light yeast and a chalky mineral note. Medium-dry and light-bodied, the round palate flavours are balanced by refreshing acidity and satin mousse texture. A lingering, serious wine suited to gastronomy, it will work very nicely with a saffron-infused northern Italian risotto.
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