High above Cinto Euganeo, in the hamlet of Cornoleda, Nicola Dal Santo works a sliver of vineyard in the volcanic Colli Euganei, making natural wines that continue a family path begun decades ago.
Backstory
Dal Santo's parents bought the land in 1974 and always made wine, mostly in bulk, while farming without chemicals and with care for the surrounding environment. His father turned to spontaneous fermentation in the 1980s, a choice that meant breaking with conventional cellar thinking. Trained as an archaeologist, Nicola returned to the land in 2010 after university to carry on his father's work.
The Region
The estate lies in the heart of the Colli Euganei, a cluster of volcanic hills southwest of Padua in the Veneto. The land around Cinto Euganeo and Baone is steep and varied, its volcanic origins shaping the character of the wines.
Vineyards & Farming
The property comprises about two and a half hectares of vines and has been certified organic since 1992. Dal Santo exchanges ideas with like-minded local growers, among them Alfonso Soranzo of Monteforche. A small amount of olive oil is also produced, from Leccino and Rasara olives.
The Wines
Production is tiny, around 10,000 bottles a year, including still and refermented frizzante wines made with native grapes such as Glera, all fermented spontaneously in keeping with the family's long-held methods.
