In 1933, the quality of Abele Adami’s sparkling wines was so well known that he was invited to represent the entire Prosecco region at a national showcase of Italian wines in Siena. For the occasion, Adami took the highly unusual step of bottling a single-vineyard wine – the first commercial example of a vineyard-specific Prosecco – producing the first vintage of the Adami “Vigneto Giardino” Valdobbiadene Prosecco.
The Adami winery has continued to specialize in Prosecco production since that time. Abele’s son Adriano began acquiring additional vineyards to increase the winery’s production volume and broaden its scope. As a result, Adami today owns land or has well-established relationships with growers in most of the prized areas of the original Prosecco zone – which since the expansion of the Prosecco area in 2009 has been given the elevated status of DOCG. In addition to the Giardino vineyard in the hamlet (orrive) of Colbertaldo, Adami now also bottles a single-vineyard Prosecco from Col Credas in the rive (communal cru) of Farra di Soligo and from the famous Cartizze subzone. The winery also produces three blended Proseccos from the DOCG area and one (Garbèl) from the wider Prosecco DOC. In all, Adami works with around 34 different vineyards, each with its own character.
Third Generation Adami
Today the company is in the hands of the third generation of Adamis, Adriano’s sons Armando and Franco, both winemakers (with the fourth generation now in training). The winery now produces more than 60,000 cases of sparkling wine from 125 acres of vineyards, a quarter owned and the rest farmed by small growers with time-honoured links to the winery and sharing its commitment to quality.
The Adami brothers strive for excellence in their Prosecco production from the vineyards to the bottling line. In the vineyards, they practice sustainable viticulture, using a combination of conventional and organic methods such as integrated pest management and low-impact anti-fungal treatments. Adami believes that by following this approach they will achieve the best results for grape and wine quality, for the environment, and for human health
The DOCG Area and The Rive
There are magical places which guide the strong hands of those who tend them with the protection of the Dolomites’ majestic peaks and the refuge of the sea. In the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene lies the Prosecco Superiore e Cartizze DOCG area. This special area has been awarded the DOC status in 1969 and then the higher DOCG status on 1 April 2010. Prosecco here enjoys Superiore status thanks to its high inherent quality, a result of the unique microclimate created by the Dolomites to the north, “Europe’s biggest fridge”, and by the natural air circulation from the Venice lagoon to the south. This allows Adami’s “Rive” to enjoy an ideal diurnal temperature range for the ripening of grapes rich in aroma and freshness.
There are vineyards that can manage to take root on steep slopes soils in which the vines cling tenaciously to the chestnut poles supporting them. The local dialect term “Rive” is used for hillside vineyards planted on steep slopes. As far back as 1933 Abel Adami selected and presented his “Riva Giardino”, from grapes grown in what is now known as the Giardino vineyard. The “Rive” is now recognized in the Valdobbiadene DOCG production protocol, and together with the name of the municipality or village, indicate the exact place of origin of the grapes. The “Rive” are selections synonymous with excellence, revealing the precious uniqueness of each single hillside plot.
The Giardino Vineyard
The development of viticulture in the hills of Valdobbiadene during the Renaissance also changed the appearance of the Colbertaldo area. An oak forest cut down between 1490 and 1542 was replaced by “plantings of vines and trees”, and the old name “Bosco di Gica” (“Gica Wood”) no longer seemed appropriate. The new name, “Zardin” (“Garden”), meanwhile, was perfectly suited to the charm of this rediscovered land. In a land register entry of 1717, it was changed to “Zardini” and subsequent Napoleonic and Austrian maps gave it the name of “Giardino”. The medieval intuition regarding the innate qualities of this land for winegrowing was reflected in the subsequent viticultural approach. This is difficult territory, but one which is generous to those who dedicate their energies to its steep slopes. The soil is chalky, lean and shallow, lying directly on the bedrock, which emerges in places. The vines cling to chestnut poles in south-facing parallel rows, echoing the typical uneven contours of these slopes. The incessant, painstaking care needed to farm here confirm the “cru” status of this vineyard.
The result is a “dry” wine, which brings together all the qualities of the Prosecco area: elegance, harmony and freshness, but above all fruit salad aromas. This is a wine that already in 1933 was selected as one of the best from Valdobbiadene, and was sent to represent the area at the 1st Mostra dei Vini Tipici d’Italia, held in Siena between 3 and 18 August 1933. This recognition of merit is just one of the many awards our wines have received, that we still today remember with affection and pride. This is why the Giardino Vineyard has become Adami’s standard-bearer, their symbol of quality.
The Col Credas Vineyard
Pride, commitment, and courage are the values that motivate winegrowers to climb up to Credazzo, beneath the stone towers that for 1000 years have testified to man’s intimate bond with this growing area. Dedication to hard work and age-old expertise in vine management provide the crucial keys for coaxing out the secrets from a vineyard that reserves its innermost qualities only to those who respect its character, its silence, and its trust.
These steep slopes, which over the centuries served also as a means of defence, are today are the key to the quality and to the future of this area. The RIVE encompass all of this. The name Col Credas refers to Credazzo, a hill complex in Farra di Soligo, whose soils are marked by rich deposits of clay (creda, in the local dialect); Col Credas is one of the “Rive,” hillslope vineyards that are sometimes unbelievably steep. This single-vineyard cru boasts a superb nose, spacious, well-balanced, and intense, laced with delicate floral notes of wisteria and acacia blossom. The palate progresses to an elegant finish remarkable for its crisp dryness.
The Proseccos of Adami
Adami goes extra lengths to deliver vibrant, elegant Proseccos. To maintain maximum freshness, the wines are given their second, sparkle-inducing fermentation in small batches rather than all at the same time soon after harvest. The base wine for the Prosecco receives extended ageing on the lees after the initial fermentation to add progressively more body and richness, until finally undergoing second fermentation in more than 100 individual batches throughout the course of a year. All bottles note the month and the year of the second fermentation on the label. It is this sort of exceptional attention to detail that makes Adami the benchmark for Prosecco today.
