Costadila takes its name from Costa di la, a corner of the Tarzo countryside in the hills of the province of Treviso, in the heart of the historic Conegliano and Valdobbiadene Prosecco zone. In 2005 Ernesto Cattel began working there as a farmer-winemaker, and in 2006 he and Mauro Lorenzon launched the Costadila project to marry traditional hill farming with organic practice.
Backstory
Cattel became a pioneer of the col fondo revival, bottling his first one in 2009. He embodied the project's philosophy completely. After he passed away in 2019, the winery, now based in San Lorenzo above Vittorio Veneto, has continued in his spirit, run by people who were close to him, including Alex Della Vecchia and Martina Celi.
Vineyards & Farming
The vines grow on steep Alto Trevigiano slopes at elevations of roughly 280, 330, and 450 meters above sea level. They are planted to native grapes: Glera, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Verdiso, Prosecco Tondo, and Boschera. The farming avoids synthetic chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides.
Winemaking
These are col fondo or sur lie sparkling wines, refermented in the bottle on their own lees with the addition of dried grape must, fermented only with indigenous yeasts, and made with very little or no added sulfur. Some cuvees see maceration on the grape skins. Cattel bottled in clear glass on purpose, inviting drinkers to watch the living, cloudy wine evolve.
The Wines
The lineup centers on cloudy, bottle-refermented col fondo and macerated whites that are alive in the glass, their character shifting with the season and the age of the bottle. They remain among the most iconic natural wines of Italy.
