Winemaker Eros Zanon walks in his Valdobbiadene vineyards.
Zanon - Italy
Wandering with winemaker Eros Zanon through his lush vineyards on the steep hillsides in the heart of the Valdobbiadene appellation, the natural beauty of the old vines is only matched by the passion of Eros as he quietly shares his winemaking philosophy, “Every vineyard has its own expression and characteristics. it is very important to leave each wine to express its soul.”
His natural winemaking style has been inspired by his love for the hills of Valdobbiadene and his land and vineyards. Surely, his natural methods are aided by the unique soil underneath his Glera and Boschera vines. Filled with marine fossils from an ancient glacier, for years before vines were planted, cows ranged free creating natural fertilizer still giving nutrients to the vines. As well, the vines give their own complexity, with the average vine being 50-60 years old.
In the winery, Eros only uses natural methods and native yeast fermentation for his wines, which he crafts in a pet-nat or ancestral method of sparkling wine production. He works with only white grapes, the traditional glera (the grape of prosecco sparkling wine), and the rare Boschera, of which there are only 7 hectares in the world. In fact, Eros has worked diligently to save the indigenous boschera from near extinction, now working to craft a wine that he hopes will bring the grape back to recognition. He practices only natural winemaking methods in his winery, crafting his white wines in the ancestral or pet-nat method.
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A 100% glera grape white sparkling wine made with native yeast fermentation, this natural wine vintage “prosecco” is from vineyards in the old part of Valdobbiadene, made also in the historic tradition of the ancestral style, or Pet Nat, as it is bottle fermented on the lees. A light color, giving an early hint to its bright acidity, the bouquet of citrus and lemon flowers bursts forth in the glass once it opens. When tasting this ancestral method natural wine, apricots and persistent bubbles create a sparkling wine that is enjoyable with brunch, aperitivos , get-togethers, you name it.
The circle and dot logo represents both the human existence and evolution, as well as winemaker Eros Zanon’s personal view of his vineyards, a dot of small-production boutique quality in the larger circle of large-production Proseccos.
This is an unfiltered sparkling wine made similar to the champagne style from a rare grape called Boschera, native to Veneto, Italy where there is less than 20 acres in the world! We were the first to import this grape into the US!
Compared to the Prosecco grape (Glera), Boschera is more complex, and in fact this wine has been aged for over 3 years in the bottle on the lees.
With 2 days of skin contact giving it a deep yellow color, this native yeast fermented natural wine is then refermented with its native lees and then undisgorged, so it is unfiltered and continues to age on the lees too, allowing it to become more complex over time.
You can say it is a vintage & aged ancestral method, or Pet Nat style, also called Col Fondo in Italian since it is on its lees. It has herbal, nutty and yeasty aromas and savory taste with a long saline finish. Pairs with many foods & throughout the meal, from appetizers to main course.
Zanon is located in Valdobbiadene, Italy.
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