Villa Sandi (Via Erizzo 112, Crocetta del Montello; +39-0423-665-033; www.villasandi.it) is one of the most striking producers of both Prosecco DOC and Prosecco DOCG wines. The winery’s headquarters and cellars sit amid formal gardens in a verdant landscape. The property resembles a fairytale version of how a distinguished Italian winery should look.

Nestled into the hills of the Marca Trevigiana about 25 kilometers northwest of Treviso, the estate borders the Piave river. The cellars once had a passageway that led to the riverbank, which Italian soldiers used to move surreptitiously during World War I. The villa itself, pictured above, is a splendid example of Palladian architecture built in 1622. It is a real period piece, with several rooms maintained in high 17th-century style, complete with Murano glass chandeliers and furniture with intricate marquetry. Not surprisingly, Villa Sandi serves as a venue for a number of important wine events in northern Italy, including courses for sommeliers and a regular lecture series.

The cellars are somewhat newer than the villa. The oldest section dates from about 1700, and the full 1.5km extent of the passageways was finished in the 20th century. The cellar walls are all lined with brick and the barrels sit on beds of gravel to ensure good drainage and air circulation. Tours of the villa and cellars can be arranged Mondays-Saturdays by calling the main number (+39-0423-665-033) or by email to info@villasandi.it. Tours are available in Italian or English.

Villa Sandi is owned by the Moretti Polegato family, and the aristocratic Giancarlo Moretti Polegato serves as the company’s president. (His brother, Mario, is the founder and president of Geox shoes, in case you were wondering how well the family manages.) For travelers who wish to stay in the immediate area, the winery also owns a rustic country house, Locanda Sandi, about 10km away (Loc. Zecchei, Via Tessere 1, Valdobbiadene; +39-0423-976-239; www.locandasandi.it). There are just six simply-finished rooms. The one single room costs €60, the five double rooms are €85 each. The Locanda also has a superb restaurant that seats 70, with an additional 100 seats on the outdoor terrace in the summer. Open Friday-Tuesday for lunch and dinner, it serves traditional local dishes of the Veneto—and the wines of Villa Sandi. Figure on €25 per person for a modest three-course meal with wine.

Villa Sandi Prosecco

Villa Sandi straddles the Valdobbiadene DOCG region and the Montello and Piave DOC wine regions. Moreover, the company owns 4 hectares in the highly prized Cartizze cru of Valdobbiadene. To give an idea of the significance of that plot, Cartizze has only a total of 107 hectares divided among 140 producers. Although the company makes a number of still wines, the core of its production consists of Prosecco, including nine different spumantes and two frizzantes. Just to confuse things, Villa Sandi also makes a limited number of sparkling wines from chardonnay and pinot nero using the “classico” method (i.e., in-bottle secondary fermentation in the manner of Champagne).

I can’t say I tasted them all, but I was struck by the complexity and depth of the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Millesimato, and the sheer quaffability of the Prosecco DOC Treviso. Judging by the smile on his face when we sat down to lunch, Giancarlo was pretty happy with the Millesimato as well.