It all started over 40 years ago a winemaking student, met another, but above all he met Ilario, a great farmer, who at the time owned just over a hectare of dessert wine near his home and, like all farmers, sold his wine production in demijohns. Once these two students finished their studies they started working in a distillery. It was during those years that a baby boy called Luca, his sister Paola and a business named “the County” were born. These children, here now to tell the story, grew up with their maternal grandparents, since mum and dad were following an adventure that was far greater than their own dreams: every day, after finishing their daytime jobs, they would go down in the cellar to try and consolidate, day after day, their efforts and sacrifices. These memories are still very much alive at the winery hearts. The whole family would be busy bottling 2-300 bottles in one day, sticking labels by hand on each bottle, they would deliver on Saturdays to meet personally the few clients they had. Business was based on a handshake and a few phone calls. Until one day the winery received a phone call from an American importer looking to buy prosecco. It was a cold and rainy day when the person in charge of finding “the best prosecco around” arrived. Bele Casel had been chosen amongst all the other producers. Five years on, the winery have grown and a lot of things have changed. One thing hasn’t changed though, the desire to make great wines. Bele Casel winery is telling a story of a family who was able to turn a dream into reality, and into a successful business.

Michael Bray
& your friends at Passion Vines

Technical notes

Production area: Cornuda, Maser (Treviso) Position: hill, altitude 220 m Training system: capuccina Production: grapeharvest 120 q/Ha – Manual harvest Vinification: soft grapes pressing and fermentation at controlled temperatures Secondary fermentation: Charmat method in low temperature pressure tank Fermentation period: 35/40 days

Food pairing

Light hors d’oeuvres, fresh fruit, grilled shrimp, antipasto