Panorama of Asolo, Italy
There is a lot going on in the 12-mile (8-kilometer) stretch of rolling hills surrounding hill of Montello—named for its shape and size: the little mountain. Located in Italy’s Veneto—alongside the Piave River and just south of the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains—Montello is situated within the Colli Asolani region.
Serious wine students will no doubt recognize the name Colli Asolani—named for the tiny town of Asolo, just west of the hill of Montello—as one of the small-but-mighty regions producing Prosecco of the highest quality and via the highest-available designation of origin in Italy: the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita or DOCG. (Bonus points for all you students who know the other DOCG approved to produce Prosecco: Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG.)
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However, there is more to this little district than just Prosecco, and the area is home to two other appellations: Montello (Montello Rosso) DOCG and Montello Asolo DOC.
The Montello DOCG was created in 2011 as a red wine-only appellation approved for the production of Bordeaux-style red blends based on 40% to 70% Cabernet Sauvignon. The remaining 30% to 60% of the mix may be comprised of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and/or Carmenère. In addition, up to 15% may be comprised of other non-aromatic red grapes suitable for cultivation in Treviso. But the truth remains…these red wines are heavy on the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—right here in Veneto.
Both the vineyard area (16 acres/6.5 ha) and production (2,630 cases in 2018) of the Montello DOCG is tiny, and the wine is rarely seen outside the region.
Base graphics via Google Maps
The other (and older) overlapping appellation of the area is the Montello Asolo DOC—formerly known as the Montello–Colli Asolani DOC. This DOC was created in 1977 and—at least originally—was approved for a long list of wine types and styles, including the area’s famous Prosecco. However, Glera-based sparkling wines were removed from the appellation’s list of approved wines in 2009 when the Colli Asolani DOCG was spun-off and created as a Prosecco-only appellation.
- The Montello Asolo DOC is still allowed to proudly produce a long list of wines, including the following:
- White wine blends based on a minimum of 40% Chardonnay
- Red wine blends based on a minimum of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Sparkling wines based on Chardonnay or Pinot Bianco
- Varietal wines (red) using Merlot, Cabernet Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenère, or Recantina
- Varietal wines (white) using Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Manzoni Bianco, Bianchetta, or Chardonnay
Advanced students of wine will want to update their flashcards to reflect the new name of the Montello Asolo DOC. The name change was finalized in December of 2020.
References/for more information:
- Disciplinare – Montello Rosso DOCG
- Montello Asolo DOC-Journal of the EU December 2020
- Disciplinare – Montello Asolo DOC-proposed
- https://www.asolomontello.it/
- https://italianwinecentral.com/denomination/montello-rosso-montello-docg/
Post authored by Jane A. Nickles…your blog administrator: jnickles@societyofwineeducators.org